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School is where pebbles are polished and diamonds dimmed!

Nisha Jose

All the world's a stage and we are actors, each with a role to perform: these are words that remind one of the Bard of Avon. The importance of grooming individuals to render worthy performances on the world's stage becomes apparent. The world is throwing up more challenges by the minute, so strength of character will stand him/her in good stead when he takes on the world. Where does strength of character come from? How can it be cultivated? The answers to these questions take us back to an institution that leaves indelible imprints on an individual's personality: SCHOOL.

The young child that goes into a school must be moulded into a person with exemplary behaviour. It is obvious that everybody cannot be the best, for then the word `best' would lose its allure. However, each child is born into this world with innate qualities that should be discovered and groomed. He/she can then become a beacon of light to this world. The onus of unraveling and nurturing the child's talents falls on the teacher.

Indian tradition has always given the highest respect to the 'guru'. Centuries ago, when children were sent to 'gurukuls', the 'guru' was accepted as the ultimate authority to which the child could be blindly entrusted. The concept of 'gurukul' could be adapted suitably to our modern day schools as well, so that children are away from worldly vices during their sensitive years. The worldly experience of the teacher can chisel away any unbecoming qualities in a child. Education encompasses not just textbooks and tests but all round development of the individual.

A well-groomed person can be compared to a pebble that has been lying at the bottom of the riverbed for ages. The teacher's influence would have worked towards developing such a personality as the water does in the case of the pebble. The polished exterior is presentable and attractive. At the same time, only those that could weather the strong currents would remain intact and become polished. Continuous and dedicated efforts only can bring about this result and teachers are found to have a profound influence on young students.

Schooling must prepare an individual for the caprices of life. He/she should not be deterred by challenges or succumb to crises. Only proper schooling can ensure this. So what does proper schooling entail? It should urge the individual to realise inherent potential, live in harmony with fellow beings and make a worthy contribution to the world. Counseling must become a part of academics, for the undercurrents of life are unpredictable.

As children spend a considerable amount of time in school, it plays an important role in clarifying and endorsing values learnt elsewhere. Children imbibe some form of value from all experiences at school. More than the school, a teacher's personality and commitment affect the child's emotional development due to frequent and close interactions. Also every subject has the potential to build one or more values, just as honesty is a value that Mathematics can inculcate, diversity and tolerance can be inspired by History and Geography. Good manners and proper etiquette cannot be learnt out of books. If the good qualities must remain, they should be engraved into the character of the individual. The juvenile mind is gullible and open to all kinds of impressions. The teacher must act as a filter and ensure that whatever goes in does not have any adverse effects.

However, one cannot turn a blind eye towards the realities of the existing education system. Children gifted with extraordinary skills are very often unable to express themselves in the contemporary scenario of cramming and excessive homework. Bright ideas are many a time discouraged by a not so inspiring teacher. With little scope to express themselves freely, their intellectual growth is stunted and these diamonds eventually lose their luster. Such instances cannot be ignored because we may lose another Einstein or James Watt to the rigours of modern day schooling.