Teachers Day Special
‘School Days are the best days’ is a cliched statement heard from many. Though this may be debatable, there is absolutely no doubt that the lessons learnt at school remain with us for a lifetime and more often than not these lessons are applied later in life.
Mrs. Fijardo, a senior Teacher in my school, was known to be one of the most strict disciplinarians .She dressed very simply, hardly ever smiled and appeared a very tough, no nonsense sort of a person from the exterior. There was a scary perception about her in the school and students feared to be in her class just because of a ruthless reputation she had. My anxieties were no different from the rest of the students, but as fate would have it, she was to teach History in my class.
She was a very fine History Teacher and any interaction with her was limited to the classes she took. However things began to change a bit when I started preparing for an Elocution Competition for the Red House. She was in charge of the House and helped me prepare for the competition, due to which there was much more interaction with her this time around.
And to my utter surprise I found a totally different Mrs. Fijardo. She was supportive, organised the preparations well, was extremely encouraging, had positivity all around her persona and her efforts relentless and resolute. There was nothing scary or ruthless about her. We did well in the competitions and there was joy writ large on Mrs. Fijardo’s face.
My understanding of Mrs. Fijardo had changed completely. In fact I wondered how flawed my perceptions and that of several students, were about her. She was a remarkable teacher who not only brought out the best in her students, but also wanted the best for her students. A lesson was learnt that day. One should not form opinions based merely on perceptions and hear say, a mistake we all indulge in. I have tried my best to apply this lesson both in my personal and professional life, though I still flounder at times. Mrs. Fijardo retired shortly afterwards and a successful teaching career coming to an end.
So lets pursue the truth and shun mere perceptions.