Behind every successful student is a teacher. But how many of us have heard of, or remember the people who taught the great personalities of the world? Teachers, who have moulded our thoughts and influenced our actions, have long remained in the shadows. Teacher’s Day in our country is celebrated on September 5, the birth anniversary of an eminent Indian philosopher and teacher - Dr S Radhakrishnan. He was the Spalding Professor of Eastern Religion at Oxford University from 1936-39.Aristotle was a well-known Greek teacher and philosopher. His most famous pupil was Alexander the Great, who set out to conquer the world. Aristotle’s writings cover many subjects, including physics, metaphysics, poetry, theatre, music, logic, rhetoric, linguistics, politics, government, ethics, biology, and zoology. Aristotle in turn was the pupil of Plato, another great teacher and philosopher. Plato in turn was the student of Socrates. Xenophon of Athens was also a student of Socrates. He was a historian, soldier, mercenary and philosopher. He is known for his writings on the history of his own times, the 4th century BC, preserving the sayings of Socrates, and descriptions of life in ancient Greece and Persia.Rabindranath Tagore, besides being a Nobel prize winning poet was also a great teacher. He founded the Visva Bharati University in 1901. Tagore introduced the heuristic method as an important method of teaching in his educational institution. In this method first, the students are asked questions to clarify their doubts on topics and teachers try to satisfy them by their correct answers. Then the teacher asks the questions to students to evaluate how far the students are able to comprehend the topic discussed in the class.Friedrich Froebel, a German pedagogue laid the foundation for modern education based on the recognition that children have unique needs and capabilities. He created the concept of the “kindergarten” or “Children’s Garden” now popularly abbreviated to KG.The term was created by Frobel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school. His goal was that children should be taken care of and nourished in "children's gardens" like plants in a garden. Many of the activities developed by Frobel are also used around the world under other names. Playing, activities, experience, and social interaction are now widely accepted as essential aspects of developing skills and knowledge.Dr Maria Montessori's name is synonymous with nursery education. She is the founder of the Montessori method of education. She started her first classroom “Casa dei Bambini” or Children’s House in 1907. The Montessori method of education stresses the importance of respecting children - “Help me to help myself”. Montessori education celebrated its 100th year in 2007.Her system was based on spontaneity and ‘free discipline’ with children, backed by simple, stimulating teaching aids. She said, “Scientific observation has established that education is not what the teacher gives; education is a natural process spontaneously carried out by the human individual, and is acquired not by listening to words but by experiences upon the environment.”Helen Keller, the American social worker, overcame the loss or sight, hearing and speech to achieve distinction as a scholar and lecturer. The credit for her achievement goes to Anne Sullivan, who taught her to speak within a month at the age of seven. This Irish-American teacher was herself visually impaired and only 20 years old, when she became Helen's instructor. It was the beginning of a 49-year relationship.There are a few movies which have immortalised great real life teachers. The most famous of them is “To Sir, with love” based on a book by E R Braithwaite, published in 1959, about a West Indian teacher in an East London School.Edward Ricardo Braithwaite, born in 1920 in British Guiana (present day Guyana) was the son of two-Oxford-educated parents. He attended Queen’s College, an elite colonial school, and went on to study at City College in New York, before enlisting as a Royal Air Force pilot in England.After the war, Braithwaite expected to be absorbed into his chosen profession of engineering. He had studied in New York and would soon earn a master’s degree from Cambridge University. However, at interview after interview he was refused an appointment because of his colour.After 18 months of unemployment and faltering confidence, Braithwaite decided to try teaching. It was austere years after the end of the Second World War and the teaching profession was in desperate need of educated men and women. He was successful in getting a teacher’s post, but he found himself posted to one of the worst schools in the East End of London. He was further dismayed to discover that his charges were an unruly, disruptive group of 15-year olds who stood cockily on the threshold of adulthood.Braithwaite displays great aptitude as a teacher, but there are lessons that he too must learn, particularly with reference to humility and patience. Not surprisingly, it is the uncouth pupils who soon begin to teach him the lessons.He realised that school kids who just need the right kind of guidance to set them on the right path to adulthood. He goes beyond textbooks, tells them about life and wins them over. He realised that if he loses his temper, he loses his authority.Braithwaite also learns to be more tolerant of his fellow teachers, whose attitudes towards him vary from overt hostility to deep love. He eventually succeeds and is both respected and loved by pupils and teachers alike.
Behind every successful student is a teacher. But how many of us have heard of, or remember the people who taught the great personalities of the world? Teachers, who have moulded our thoughts and influenced our actions, have long remained in the shadows. Teacher’s Day in our country is celebrated on September 5, the birth anniversary of an eminent Indian philosopher and teacher - Dr S Radhakrishnan. He was the Spalding Professor of Eastern Religion at Oxford University from 1936-39.Aristotle was a well-known Greek teacher and philosopher. His most famous pupil was Alexander the Great, who set out to conquer the world. Aristotle’s writings cover many subjects, including physics, metaphysics, poetry, theatre, music, logic, rhetoric, linguistics, politics, government, ethics, biology, and zoology. Aristotle in turn was the pupil of Plato, another great teacher and philosopher. Plato in turn was the student of Socrates. Xenophon of Athens was also a student of Socrates. He was a historian, soldier, mercenary and philosopher. He is known for his writings on the history of his own times, the 4th century BC, preserving the sayings of Socrates, and descriptions of life in ancient Greece and Persia.Rabindranath Tagore, besides being a Nobel prize winning poet was also a great teacher. He founded the Visva Bharati University in 1901. Tagore introduced the heuristic method as an important method of teaching in his educational institution. In this method first, the students are asked questions to clarify their doubts on topics and teachers try to satisfy them by their correct answers. Then the teacher asks the questions to students to evaluate how far the students are able to comprehend the topic discussed in the class.Friedrich Froebel, a German pedagogue laid the foundation for modern education based on the recognition that children have unique needs and capabilities. He created the concept of the “kindergarten” or “Children’s Garden” now popularly abbreviated to KG.The term was created by Frobel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school. His goal was that children should be taken care of and nourished in "children's gardens" like plants in a garden. Many of the activities developed by Frobel are also used around the world under other names. Playing, activities, experience, and social interaction are now widely accepted as essential aspects of developing skills and knowledge.Dr Maria Montessori's name is synonymous with nursery education. She is the founder of the Montessori method of education. She started her first classroom “Casa dei Bambini” or Children’s House in 1907. The Montessori method of education stresses the importance of respecting children - “Help me to help myself”. Montessori education celebrated its 100th year in 2007.Her system was based on spontaneity and ‘free discipline’ with children, backed by simple, stimulating teaching aids. She said, “Scientific observation has established that education is not what the teacher gives; education is a natural process spontaneously carried out by the human individual, and is acquired not by listening to words but by experiences upon the environment.”Helen Keller, the American social worker, overcame the loss or sight, hearing and speech to achieve distinction as a scholar and lecturer. The credit for her achievement goes to Anne Sullivan, who taught her to speak within a month at the age of seven. This Irish-American teacher was herself visually impaired and only 20 years old, when she became Helen's instructor. It was the beginning of a 49-year relationship.There are a few movies which have immortalised great real life teachers. The most famous of them is “To Sir, with love” based on a book by E R Braithwaite, published in 1959, about a West Indian teacher in an East London School.Edward Ricardo Braithwaite, born in 1920 in British Guiana (present day Guyana) was the son of two-Oxford-educated parents. He attended Queen’s College, an elite colonial school, and went on to study at City College in New York, before enlisting as a Royal Air Force pilot in England.After the war, Braithwaite expected to be absorbed into his chosen profession of engineering. He had studied in New York and would soon earn a master’s degree from Cambridge University. However, at interview after interview he was refused an appointment because of his colour.After 18 months of unemployment and faltering confidence, Braithwaite decided to try teaching. It was austere years after the end of the Second World War and the teaching profession was in desperate need of educated men and women. He was successful in getting a teacher’s post, but he found himself posted to one of the worst schools in the East End of London. He was further dismayed to discover that his charges were an unruly, disruptive group of 15-year olds who stood cockily on the threshold of adulthood.Braithwaite displays great aptitude as a teacher, but there are lessons that he too must learn, particularly with reference to humility and patience. Not surprisingly, it is the uncouth pupils who soon begin to teach him the lessons.He realised that school kids who just need the right kind of guidance to set them on the right path to adulthood. He goes beyond textbooks, tells them about life and wins them over. He realised that if he loses his temper, he loses his authority.Braithwaite also learns to be more tolerant of his fellow teachers, whose attitudes towards him vary from overt hostility to deep love. He eventually succeeds and is both respected and loved by pupils and teachers alike.
