This is one of the unforgettable experiences in my life.
When I was doing engineering, I thought of doing any part time job so that I can use it for my expenditures without much pocking my parents.
Beside of my room, there was a small tutorial, and they used to take tuition for class 1 to 7th. I decided to ask the tutorial head to get a part time job in it. One day I did that, the tutorial head asked what I was doing; I said that I was doing engineering. Then he said, "Ok, you can come here from tomorrow onwards to teach Mathematics to class 7th and Class 5th and I would give you Rs.400/- per month, timings were evening from 5PM to 7PM". I was extremely happy and accepted the offer. He came close to me and said, "See this place is rural and class rooms are on road side so anyone could see what you were doing inside and there are many girls in the class room so keep that in your mind". I understood what he was trying to convey. I said no problem.
Next day evening I went to tutorial exactly 5PM, tutorial head introduced me to class 7th students as I was a new math teacher, and he had left. There were about 20 students in the class; I could feel that they were from low middle class family. All students were exited after seeing me, and they might keep thinking how I would teach maths. As a routine, I inquired names of all students and gave short tutorial on how maths could be used in day to day life. From next day onwards, I started teaching from the lesson where the previous teacher left. It become my daily routine that after college, 2 hours tuition and then room. It was quite different experience. I also started teaching lessons to class 5th students. I surprised that they had unusually tricky maths. I had to do some homework in my room before going to class. Otherwise It was difficult to solve on the spot. So I used to take class books with me to my room and started practicing it. Even my engineering maths, I’ve not practiced that much.
Sometimes, the girl students in my class room used to greet me on the road, but boys were different, some are like rebel and some are very soft and shy. One day I was outside of my room with my roommates, then a girl student was going on the road, and she had noticed me and said ‘Namestha sir ( Good morning, sir)’ , and she went. My roommates were laughing like anything and teasing me saying ‘oh! Teacher, Namestha sir’. Students understood that I was leaving in that room, and they had started coming to my room to clarify their doubts. Even girl students used to come, and sometimes they also bring some food along with them. I was afraid, if it was a boy then no problem, but a girl coming to bachelor room was not acceptable. So one day in the class room, I told them not come to my room, and asked them to get clarify if they had any doubts in the class itself.
One month past, tutorial head called me and gave Rs 400/- and said, "You were teaching nicely, be continue like that". That time I was happy, went to room and celebrated my first month payment. We went to film and had dinner outside.
After three months, one of my local friends came to know that I was doing this part time job, so he impressed and introduced me to a new guy, who was a partner in a tutorial where they used to teach intermediate students and provide training in EAMCET. He said he could give Rs 1000/- per month if I had joined in that tutorial to teach intermediate students. I realized it would take more time of me and teaching to intermediate students was not an easy job, so I refused it. After few days, I met him again in a tea shop. This time he gave another proposal. He said I had to teach in "Schedule Backward cast boys hostel" for class 10th students, and I could receive monthly Rs 500/- from government as a salary. That hostel was very far from my room, and I had to teach in morning times. I thought since this was boy’s hostel, so I could teach them freely also people were from scheduled backward cast, if I make them pass in class 10th then I could get some satisfaction as I did some social work. I discussed this in my room and one of my other roommate agreed to cover my current job.
I met the hostel warden. He told me that students were afraid of Maths and earlier many had failed in that subject, so I had to make sure that, that time they would get decent pass percentage. I said I would do my best.
Next day morning I woke up around 5.00AM. It took half an hour for me to reach the hostel on my cycle. I reached hostel around 6.00AM, the moment I went inside, still some people were sleeping on the floor. They had a spacious room, and each student occupied some part of it. Each student had a suitcase where they had all their belongings. In the same room, Black board was there on one side of the wall for teaching. Some students had recognized me, and they asked other sleeping students to wake up. One student bought chair to me. Some other students started combing their hair before coming. Finally after 15 mins all students were gathered. Most of them were wearing worn and dirty clothes, and they looked as if they did not had nutrition food from past several months. I inquired their names and from which place they had come to the hostel. As usual I told them how influential maths is in daily life.
From that day onwards, it had become my daily routine to go to the hostel and wake up all students and teach maths. Many students were showing so much interest in learning that subject, but it was a challenge for me to teach to set of students who were duffers. In a month, I had a very good relationship with all students. Some reason I had a very satisfaction while teaching to them. It was not as I teach only maths, I had discussed some general subjects and conducted some competition and gave small prizes to them. I understood that they were not getting good food in the hostel, and how they were getting treated inside. I was really help-less in that regard as what I could really do, except teaching the subject. I told them some motivation stories and make aware of them that they could change their life through higher studies.
One month past, hostel warden called and had given me 500/- check. That check had come directly from state government, I felt so thrilled after receiving that amount as my monthly payment. Maybe it was because I was teaching to people who were treated as secondary people in society, may be it was because I was getting so much satisfaction during this job and top of that I was getting paid. Unlike my first 400/- I did not spend this 500/- check. I kept it with me.
Days were going; students were used to get ready before I reach hostel. I used to teach some techniques to remember some of the maths formulas to them. Finally, public exams time came; warden requested me to come even in evenings so that I could quickly revise entire syllabus. Public exams were started, first few exams I did not go to the hostel and before maths exam, I went to the hostel and briefly explained all important problems. I was so tensed during the exam thinking how they would perform it. After the exam, I went to the hostel and inquired what questions they had asked in the exam and how did they perform. Mostly all students performed well; After all exams were over, I went again and had a friendly talk with all students. We had a long chat on different subjects. It was not a surprise that they had so many fantasies about girls; they had asked so many questions like how many girls were there in engineering college and how the girls’ looks like etc… I answered them. All were wished me that I would get a good job after my engineering. Next day I met warden and he gave my last check and said, "You had done a good job". At last, I took farewell from all of the students and went back to room with a mix of feelings.
Beside of my room, there was a small tutorial, and they used to take tuition for class 1 to 7th. I decided to ask the tutorial head to get a part time job in it. One day I did that, the tutorial head asked what I was doing; I said that I was doing engineering. Then he said, "Ok, you can come here from tomorrow onwards to teach Mathematics to class 7th and Class 5th and I would give you Rs.400/- per month, timings were evening from 5PM to 7PM". I was extremely happy and accepted the offer. He came close to me and said, "See this place is rural and class rooms are on road side so anyone could see what you were doing inside and there are many girls in the class room so keep that in your mind". I understood what he was trying to convey. I said no problem.
Next day evening I went to tutorial exactly 5PM, tutorial head introduced me to class 7th students as I was a new math teacher, and he had left. There were about 20 students in the class; I could feel that they were from low middle class family. All students were exited after seeing me, and they might keep thinking how I would teach maths. As a routine, I inquired names of all students and gave short tutorial on how maths could be used in day to day life. From next day onwards, I started teaching from the lesson where the previous teacher left. It become my daily routine that after college, 2 hours tuition and then room. It was quite different experience. I also started teaching lessons to class 5th students. I surprised that they had unusually tricky maths. I had to do some homework in my room before going to class. Otherwise It was difficult to solve on the spot. So I used to take class books with me to my room and started practicing it. Even my engineering maths, I’ve not practiced that much.
Sometimes, the girl students in my class room used to greet me on the road, but boys were different, some are like rebel and some are very soft and shy. One day I was outside of my room with my roommates, then a girl student was going on the road, and she had noticed me and said ‘Namestha sir ( Good morning, sir)’ , and she went. My roommates were laughing like anything and teasing me saying ‘oh! Teacher, Namestha sir’. Students understood that I was leaving in that room, and they had started coming to my room to clarify their doubts. Even girl students used to come, and sometimes they also bring some food along with them. I was afraid, if it was a boy then no problem, but a girl coming to bachelor room was not acceptable. So one day in the class room, I told them not come to my room, and asked them to get clarify if they had any doubts in the class itself.
One month past, tutorial head called me and gave Rs 400/- and said, "You were teaching nicely, be continue like that". That time I was happy, went to room and celebrated my first month payment. We went to film and had dinner outside.
After three months, one of my local friends came to know that I was doing this part time job, so he impressed and introduced me to a new guy, who was a partner in a tutorial where they used to teach intermediate students and provide training in EAMCET. He said he could give Rs 1000/- per month if I had joined in that tutorial to teach intermediate students. I realized it would take more time of me and teaching to intermediate students was not an easy job, so I refused it. After few days, I met him again in a tea shop. This time he gave another proposal. He said I had to teach in "Schedule Backward cast boys hostel" for class 10th students, and I could receive monthly Rs 500/- from government as a salary. That hostel was very far from my room, and I had to teach in morning times. I thought since this was boy’s hostel, so I could teach them freely also people were from scheduled backward cast, if I make them pass in class 10th then I could get some satisfaction as I did some social work. I discussed this in my room and one of my other roommate agreed to cover my current job.
I met the hostel warden. He told me that students were afraid of Maths and earlier many had failed in that subject, so I had to make sure that, that time they would get decent pass percentage. I said I would do my best.
Next day morning I woke up around 5.00AM. It took half an hour for me to reach the hostel on my cycle. I reached hostel around 6.00AM, the moment I went inside, still some people were sleeping on the floor. They had a spacious room, and each student occupied some part of it. Each student had a suitcase where they had all their belongings. In the same room, Black board was there on one side of the wall for teaching. Some students had recognized me, and they asked other sleeping students to wake up. One student bought chair to me. Some other students started combing their hair before coming. Finally after 15 mins all students were gathered. Most of them were wearing worn and dirty clothes, and they looked as if they did not had nutrition food from past several months. I inquired their names and from which place they had come to the hostel. As usual I told them how influential maths is in daily life.
From that day onwards, it had become my daily routine to go to the hostel and wake up all students and teach maths. Many students were showing so much interest in learning that subject, but it was a challenge for me to teach to set of students who were duffers. In a month, I had a very good relationship with all students. Some reason I had a very satisfaction while teaching to them. It was not as I teach only maths, I had discussed some general subjects and conducted some competition and gave small prizes to them. I understood that they were not getting good food in the hostel, and how they were getting treated inside. I was really help-less in that regard as what I could really do, except teaching the subject. I told them some motivation stories and make aware of them that they could change their life through higher studies.
One month past, hostel warden called and had given me 500/- check. That check had come directly from state government, I felt so thrilled after receiving that amount as my monthly payment. Maybe it was because I was teaching to people who were treated as secondary people in society, may be it was because I was getting so much satisfaction during this job and top of that I was getting paid. Unlike my first 400/- I did not spend this 500/- check. I kept it with me.
Days were going; students were used to get ready before I reach hostel. I used to teach some techniques to remember some of the maths formulas to them. Finally, public exams time came; warden requested me to come even in evenings so that I could quickly revise entire syllabus. Public exams were started, first few exams I did not go to the hostel and before maths exam, I went to the hostel and briefly explained all important problems. I was so tensed during the exam thinking how they would perform it. After the exam, I went to the hostel and inquired what questions they had asked in the exam and how did they perform. Mostly all students performed well; After all exams were over, I went again and had a friendly talk with all students. We had a long chat on different subjects. It was not a surprise that they had so many fantasies about girls; they had asked so many questions like how many girls were there in engineering college and how the girls’ looks like etc… I answered them. All were wished me that I would get a good job after my engineering. Next day I met warden and he gave my last check and said, "You had done a good job". At last, I took farewell from all of the students and went back to room with a mix of feelings.
An interesting story. You have got good teaching skills even from your College going days. Your interest to impart good education to the poor is laudable. In fact, I think, your teaching skill was somewhat helped you in attending interviews in search of job. Teaching is not an easy job as well as a noble one. To do justice to that job of teaching, one has to master the subject and to up-date the skills.
ReplyDeleteNAIDU KC
Thanks uncle. That experience really helped me during the job hunt.
ReplyDelete