Returning on the Beaten Teacher

Opinions are triggered by impulse. When one’s kind is attacked, one takes it personal and loses the right thought. When I read in the Kuensel that a parent had beaten a teacher, it made me sad and angry.

I was more angry than sad, so I wrote my opinion, but didn’t realize there could be another story to the Kuensel’s story. I have also come to believe what people say about our media to be true, that they are not credible. The news misinterpreted the teacher’s spank on the boy’s back as just a tap. I found out that the teacher spank the boy four times, the boy even tried to run but the teacher caught him and spanked him hard on the back. What the boy did was, he asked some doubts in a challenging manner. I also came to know that the teacher always picked on that particular student. The father did not enter the classroom but called the teacher out. The teacher got one lakh for his broken tooth, and he went to Kolkata to fix his tooth. The teacher is still teaching in the same school.

Talking with some of my colleagues, most say that the teacher got what he deserved, but also agree that the father could have made it less painful the teacher and more civil for himself .

I think the teacher should encourage his students to ask questions and doubts, and always find time to clarify them.  

District Sports Meet – Update from Punakha HSS

My school recently finished our Sports Day and last week we again had the honor of hosting the Inter District Sports Meet.

This is a big occasion for the Dzongkhag and for all the schools whose students came to my school to exhibit their skills, stamina, talent, and discipline. Students from seven schools consolidated at Punakha HSS. The various competitions challenged and tested their perseverance, skills, training, and heart.

Muhammad Ali said,  ‘Champions are made from something they have deep inside them -- a desire, a dream, a vision.’ The week that was we witnessed many who pushed themselves further for that desire, dream and vision.

About five hundred students participated in the various events. We witnessed young bodies charged with energy run, throw, jump, and play. It is their time to challenge themselves, and they did.  

Sports build character and it is very valid that sports events like these are held in all the districts in our country. The winning teams will play the Regional Championship and then move on to play at the National level. One objective of the Sports Meet was mass participation, and that was achieved considering the number of participants.

Today, when youth crime is on the rise, games and sports are important measures that educators should take to build character in our young people. Engaging their energy and interest in their choice of sports can make all the difference in their conduct. There are lots of opportunities today for our youth to make the wrong choice but training them to work as a team, teaching them valuable skills of depending on one another and making the right decision can be achieved by sports. 


A boy in my school for the love of the game of football was willing to change, willing to become good. The Hollywood movie Coach Carter exhibits a man who brings changes in the lives of many of his students because they love the game and to play the game they work hard to improve themselves academically as well as improve their character. This is good and can happen, we only need the right people.  

The winning teams with their Trophies cheered for the organizers. I joined them to acknowledge.

  

Sports serve society by providing vivid examples of excellence.

George F. Will

Noble or Not Noble

Just few weeks ago there was a debate on the national TV, BBS (Bhutan Broad Casting Service)  ‘Is Teaching considered a Noble Profession in Bhutan?’. I followed the debate show and couldn’t help but feel sad for the teaching profession. This profession is by virtue of what it does, very noble. There is no doubt about it but what is amiss here is that though it is a noble profession very less people want to become teachers.

By definition, Noble means ‘showing fine personal qualities or high moral principals or ideas’. It is exactly what should define a teacher, a synonym to teacher. But do we have noble teachers? This question I feel is more important to debate than ‘Is the Teaching Profession considered Noble in Bhutan?’ Like the final vote count at the end of the debate, teaching is considered noble but are the people who become teachers noble? Do we have noble teachers? or Is it enough to have Good teachers?

If one looks into history, one will find that teachers have always been simple people. Teachers are people who are not materialistic, who taught contentment and lived humble lives. However, this quintessential teacher belongs in the past and is not able to fit the modern job seekers mind set. The teacher today stands at the helm of shouldering grave responsibility of making the future of the nation. If you are content with the past image and role of a teacher in the present setting then you are not considering the future of our nation. The teacher in Bhutan today needs more than the acknowledgement that he or she is doing a noble job.

I can happily say that there are many good teachers in my school. I don’t want to use the word noble, but they are good and I feel that is good enough. A good human being should become a teacher. That person may not have the best marks out of school or higher ideals but he or she should be good and be ready for improvement. 

I know my Principal, who is an exemplary leader. He models what he believes in, showing his staff that one has to live by example in an institution called school where one is observed by learning eyes.

I know Mr. Pashupati Sharma, who has taught for the last twenty-two years and has helped many students realize their dream of becoming engineers, and architects. I find nobility in his feeble voice, which competes with the swinging fans in the lazy afternoon class.

I know Mr. Rinchen who hardly misses even a single class but is after your periods if you can spare them.  His father is in need of people whom he can trust in his family business but Rinchen is happy as a teacher.

Lopen Gembo has only one year before his retirement, having taught for more than three decades, but he still carries out his duties like he first joined service.

Mr. Binod Rai has taught chemistry for the last nineteen years, and even today he has the zest to teach like he did when he first joined teaching. He did not become a teacher by accident; he was designed for this profession.

I walk past a class and hear ‘copper clad mountain’ it is a translation to the Dzongkha word ‘Zangdopelri’, the teacher is Lopen Namgay and you can hear him from the other end of the school building when he is teaching. My Dzongkha teacher never made it convenient for me to understand what such terms and words could mean in English.

Karma Choedup is my friend and like me he became a teacher by accident but he is a good human being and like I said that was all he needed to become better. His conscience is clean because he does his best in the classroom.

Lopen Namgay is loud but not as loud as Mr. Ugyen Namgay. One can hear Ugyen Namgay narrate the Battle of Changlimithang as if he fought the battle himself. He would collect and take the pictures related to his subject as illustrators for his lesson. He rewards the hard workers with free lunches and other treats.

Sonam Phuntsho, (who is currently perusing his masters) would wake up at 6 am on Sundays to give tutorials to his students so that they may do well in economics, a subject least favored in Bhutan.

Like these good teachers, my school has many other hard working teachers, who can and will do better if they receive the right support and motivation. Teaching is a noble profession, there is no doubt, but are our teachers noble? The teachers in my school are good and that is good enough, it should be good enough.

      

Identity

By Kinley Penjor, Thinley Zangmo, Kinley Gyeltshen and Tashi Tenzin(XII Commerce 2012)

This story was written by my students, I hope you will enjoy it like I did.

The Sun peeked out from behind a cloud and began slanting through the windows, zeroing in on the boy who was sleeping.

“Breakfast is ready”, Kinley’s father said to Kinley. “Get dressed, you are getting late for school”.

Kinley was in the ninth standard. He was in a high school now, among new faces but he got along very well with everyone who at first seemed very sophisticated with their funny hair styles, which he knew was Korean and very popular. He studied hard and came first in his class.

But things changed with time as people change, change was one of the inevitable laws of nature, exerting its toll on the lives of the people and Kinley was like any other boy only human. Kinley was influenced by his friends and copied the Korean styles like his friends. It started with the hairstyle and with time he became obsessed with everything Korean. Before he knew, he was swept by the Korean wave that was sweeping the young people in the country.

“Kinley, you are changing day by day”, his father told him.

” I am afraid that you will be like the funny looking boys I see loitering in town these days” “Don’t worry… Apa ”,

“I’m warning you if you happen to become one, you will make me very sad’’.

“Don’t worry…“

Kinley assured his father but he didn’t know how much he was influenced, he unintentionally ignored everything that was Bhutanese. Korea became his dreamland, he watched Korean movies, and even sang Korean songs, though he didn’t know what he was singing about. He would dream of visiting Korea every moment that he chanced upon, be it day or night. 

Finally, one fine day there was an announcement in the morning assembly that his school was to select five students who would get to visit Korea as a part of a cultural exchange program at the end of the year. Kinley’s heart jumped to his throat, his stomach was feeling funny and goose bumps appeared instantly all over his body. He could not suppress the excitement he was feeling.

“Did I hear correctly or am I dreaming?” Kinley wondered.

The selection was to be done at the end of the year, he also found out that since it was a cultural exchange program the students who will be selected will have to be very sound with various aspects of our culture, like singing the traditional songs, dancing traditional dances like boedra, zhungdra and also various mask dances. But in the school, only the ‘century’ (out dated or old fashioned) students danced zhungdra or sang it. Kinley didn’t want to become a century but he badly wanted to go to Korea. He shared his thoughts with his friends but they thought it was for sure that he would not get the chance to visit Korea because he didn’t know any traditional songs and he didn’t have enough knowledge about our own culture. For the first time Kinley felt strange about himself, he didn’t know much about our culture and our tradition.  

Later lying on his bed he wished he too was a ‘century’ then it would have been sure for him to visit Korea and taste ‘kimchi’. He could not sleep thinking about what he needed to do and when the first light of dawn cleared the darkness he decided that he would learn everything.

The next morning he registered himself for the test, he will have three months before the selection. He thought that will be enough but also knew that the competition will be very tough as many dreamed of going to Korea. But Kinley knew he was special, it was his calling and his one chance to fulfill his dream.

At first he thought it would be easy to learn the things he need to but found out that it was difficult. But he needed someone to guide and teach him, his Dzongkha teacher didn’t like him and the ‘century’ classmates were if not like the Dzongkha teacher, then worse. He told himself that it was Korea that he was working for so he will do what ever that was necessary, even bear his Dzongkha teacher’s unforgiving insulting taunts.

When Kinley approached his Dzongkha teacher and told him his interest to learn everything the teacher rejected him and told him not to waste his time. But Kinley didn’t give up, how could he, it was Korea, it was his dream and he was always taught by his father to never give up on his dream. So, Kinley returned to the Dzongkha teacher many times, after the fifth try the teacher told him that he will teach him but only if he shaved his head (the teacher always wanted to do that) to begin with and if he promised that he would get selected. Kinley grinned and nodded his head.

The training began but it was very tough, Kinley had under estimated the vastness of his study. He worked hard and tried his best but it was not good enough for his teacher. For every mistake, the teacher made him do frog jumps. It was all too difficult for him. One night during dinner he was lost deep in his thought. His father noticing him asked him what he was thinking. Kinley told him that everything was difficult and that he was going to quit. Kinley’s father, who was a man of few words said, ’ What you need is interest, things become a lot easier when one is interested in doing what he is doing.’ Kinley contemplated what his father said.

His temper rose and there were many times when he nearly gave up but he reinforced his hope and determination. Interest was all he need. He knew his teacher enjoyed taunting him, he pushed Kinley to extent that his feet were sore from practicing the mask dances, but he now saw everything in a new light. He was slowly starting to enjoy his training.

Learning the folksongs was difficult, but Kinley persevered. Even during free times he would hum the tune and sing the songs. As expected his friends started labeling him as a ‘century’, so he made new friends, the ‘centuries’. He found they were much better. He enjoyed his new company and the things he was learning.

The day finally came and Kinley did his best, he sang what he was asked to sing and danced ‘dramitshe nga cham’, everything went well and he answered every question correctly. He now waited for the results impatiently.  

On Monday morning Kinley rushed to school before the notice board, because they (students) were told that the result would be pasted on the notice board. Kinley took a deep breath and paved his way through bodies towards the notice board. The names of the five students who were selected were in bold letters but it didn’t say Kinley. Kinley looked away and didn’t know what to feel or do, it was as if the whole world was closing in and becoming smaller.

Kinley’s friends consoled him but it was difficult for him to believe that he didn’t get selected. At first he was sad and then later he became angry, but he couldn’t do anything.

As the days passed by he became sober and then he slowly realized that Korea was a dream but he was happy being a Bhutanese.

Beaten Teacher

 KUENSEL Parent beats up private school teacher

  

A class IX biology teacher of a private school in Thimphu was beaten up yesterday noon by a parent, after his son complained that the teacher tapped him on his back.

Parents are now coming into the classroom and man handling, getting up-close and personal, physically, administering their own corporal punishment on the teacher. Of course we only heard a one-sided story from Kuensel but to what extent is it justifiable for the father to beat the teacher is something I as a teacher find very important for every one to know. Of course again, that it could have been more than a tap on the boy's back should be considered but to take it out on the teacher in the classroom in the way it has been done is simply not acceptable, I wonder what kind of a man would do that. The father, according to Kuensel is someone who is educated, an expatriate who works with the UNICEF.

It was not a Bhutanese parent but that should not make anything less concerning for our people.
The Bhutan Broadcasting Service should now debate on Should the teachers be subjected to  Corporal Punishment?Are Parents allowed to beat the Teachers? and forget about Corporal Punishment for the students. I wish I could hear from The Education Ministry share their piece of mind here. In a society where the morale of the teaching profession is already suffering, this is not what we need to further destory the teachers in the country.
Their Majesties the Fourth and Fifth Kings have canonized, that the future of our nation lies in the hands of our children, but our society doesn't realize that their children spend more time with us than with them at home. A teacher's morale is of utmost significance to a society's well being now and for the future. A sad and unhappy teacher is not someone you want in the class with your children.




www.kuenselonline.com/Parent beats up private school teacher

Quarterly Test

In some schools there are weekly test and then the midterm, trial and the final exams. In my school we have the weekly test in the classes depending on the individual teachers, the usual midterm, trial, the final and then in between the midterm and the finals we have the Quarterlies.

The quarterly exams started last year with the sole and obvious objective of helping the students do better in their final exams. It has been quite effective with the classes nine and the eleven but most students from classes ten and twelve do not seems to take it seriously. Most class twelve students failed. One reason being that they don’t receive any help with the marks they score in these quarterlies. What they manage in the final board exam is the final marks; no internal marks are added from the quarterlies. Our first quarterlies begin from the 14^th of this month.

What I am not able to understand and convince myself is that most students fail to see is that these quarterly exams can help them prepare and always be ready for the finals. It surprises me and I am disappointed with their attitude. To a certain extent something like this can be tolerated in lower classes where the children are young and do not have the mental maturity to value such an effort by the school. Our children are all ‘would be fathers and mothers’ had they been in the village, yet they fail to realize their purpose in school.  In the village by seventeen or eighteen one would have already fathered or mothered a child and shouldered responsibilities that would have matured them before their actual time.

Of course the basis of my conclusion is last year’s experience but I am still afraid it will repeat this year. If it does, then some thing somewhere is seriously wrong. We will need to seriously consider it; we can do with some advice.

Back to School

It's good to be back. Feeling my own presence in my class has made me realize how much I have missed my work and especially my students. I can not think of doing any thing else in my life, but teach. I can see my students have also missed me and that knowledge is very overwhelming.

This feeling makes me feel so fulfilled that I feel very lucky to own the feelings I have. I have been lucky to discover teaching and find satisfaction in it. It seems I was made or designed for this profession for I feel so comfortable in my class that to describe it would be like 'fish in water'. 

My friends worked hard in my absence, substituting my classes. I am very grateful for the support that they have rendered me, everyone should have colleagues like mine. 

But, now I have to do my part, dedicate my time and effort, for I have three class twelve sections, who will be sitting for the most important exam of their lives. 

It's good to be back.