Celebrating Teachers’ Day: A tribute to Radhakrishnan

Celebrating Teachers’ Day: A tribute to Radhakrishnan

Mangalore Today News Network

September 5: Teachers’ Day is celebrated on September 5 , every year. Teachers’ Day is a dedication to Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, who was a staunch believer of education and was one of the most well known diplomats, scholar, President of India and above all a great teacher. The day is also called Teachers’ Appreciation Day or National Teachers’ Day.

As a tribute to this great teacher, his birthday is observed as Teachers’ Day and this day is the reflection of Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan’s love for and attachment to the teaching profession. As a matter of fact, Dr Radhakrishnan had himself asked his admirers to celebrate his birthday not as his birthday but as Teachers’ day. Teachers’ Day is dedicated to the hard work that is put in by the teachers all year long, a day that is a complete tribute to the teachers all around India.

Teachers Day is now, one of the occasion that is looked forward by the teachers and students alike as on this occasion its not only when teachers are praised but also around various schools students dress up and represent their teachers and take various lectures that are assigned to the teachers they represent. As the day passes, the students perform the regular activities that are performed by the teachers. On this day, students realise what it means to be a teacher and what it means to control the future of several students in their classes and also teachers are reminded what it felt like when they were the students.

Teachers have an influencing role in the life of every student. They are like beacons of light, guiding us in the formative years of our life. Teachers mould us and in the process shape our future. What we learn from our teachers remains with us throughout our life. However, very often, we fail to show our appreciation and gratitude for their altruistic devotion. Teachers do need encouragement and support from the community to feel that their efforts are being recognised.

To serve the purpose, Teachers’ Day is celebrated throughout the world, year on year. By celebrating National Teachers’ Day, we thank our teachers for providing us their invaluable guidance. Teachers mould the lives that they influence because the lessons learned from teachers remain with their students throughout life.

Apart from the fun aspect of the day everybody should pay their respects to the great Dr Radhakrishnan and let us look back, admire and get inspired by Dr Radhakrishnan, a small town cunning boy, who grew up to become one of the most respected politicians in the history of democracy of India.

Teachers’ day in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi district: All Educational institutions functioning in Dakshina Kannda District and Udupi district celebrate teachers’ day every year to mark the birth day of Dr. Sarvapalli Radhakrishna. The teachers’ day is celebrated by organizing many events in the school and colleges. Educational institutions organize stage programmes to felicitate and present awards to the achieving teachers. Every year, the government chooses teachers for his excellent work in the field of teaching.

This year, Ashok Kamath, head master of Volakadu government high school, Udupi, has won the special award meant for excellence in teaching, while Purandar Bhat, teacher of Balila Vidyabodhini high school in Sullia taluk, Dakshina Kannada district, has been chosen for the ‘best science teacher’ award, being given by Karnataka State Teachers Benefit Fund annually.

Purandar Narayan Bhat has been continuously engaged in making new inventions in science towards encouraging students to get engaged in research work in science. Son of Vedamurthy Kayara Shyam Bhat and Susheela, Bhat had his education in Balila Vidyabodhini High School, Bellare PU College and St Phelomena College, Puttur and BEd from T M A Pai College of Education and MA in Sociology from Mysore. He started his teaching career in 1982 at Ballamavati Netaji High School in Kodagu for six years. Later, he joined Balila Vidyabodhini High School.  He has been a State-level resource person in teaching science and maths and has been providing training. He has been preparing science and maths model question papers for Udayavani’s ‘Shikshana margadarshi,’ handbook for teachers, Chinnaramela Chaitanya-2. His articles related to science and maths have been published in newspapers and monthly magazine ‘Kalikakhatri’ by Wipro.  He has been involved in creating awareness on bio diversity, observing stars, rainwater harvesting, health education, and other related activities through school eco clubs in association with other colleagues. Under his guidance, students have competed in the Children Science Congress and have won awards. He has also taken part in South India level Science Fest and State-level science fest and has won awards.

He says mathematics is an abstract subject which will be made concrete through models and this helps the students to understand the subject in a better way. The models of triangle, property and operations on sets, converting quadrangle into rectangle, number lines and so on helps the students to understand the concepts. Once they understand the concept, then they will start enjoying learning mathematics and science. He says even students are asked to make the models in their own way. “When the finger starts thinking, then the concept will be understood in a better way. The models help in remembering the concepts.Moreover, when the subjects in maths and science are related to the day to day life, then students understand it better. When the concept is made clear, maths becomes an interesting subject to learn,” Instead of asking the students to find out the square root of 20 or any other number, they are asked to find out the square root of their birth date or year of birth. Picturisation of a concept is important in learning process, opines Bhat. Accuracy, speed and estimation are essential while teaching Math’s. He says textbooks are not the only teaching aid. They are only a reference for teaching. The teaching aids help the children to understand in a better way. He plans, in the future, to bring out a book on the models for teaching maths and science and also to start a maths laboratory in the school with the help from the donors.

Another extraordinary teacher Ashok Kamath has been striving to transform his school into a model institution, by drawing help from donors. Several teachers from other districts have also been chosen for these awards. Ashok Kamath, the recipient of Best Teacher National Award for the year 2009 for Udupi district puts forth the representation of hard work, dedication and determination for selfless service. He is the head master of Olakadu Government Composite High School.

He says teaching is a noble and innovative profession. Teaching is leaving trace of one self in the development of another. Here the students are depositories where the teacher can dump their most precious treasures of aspirations. Ashok Kamath served in cabinet secretariat in government of India for 10 years. Later he ventured into teaching arena where he worked as head master in Brahmavar Government High School for four years. He has been working in Olakadu Government High School since 2003. He had additional charge of Block Resource Centre to train Primary School teachers from 2000 to 2002. Ashok Kamath won Udupi District-level Best Teacher Award for the year 2009 and State Teacher award under special category on September 2010. Besides, he is the nominated member for Karnataka Secondary Education Examination Board (SSLC) from 2005. He is also State-level resource person for Karnataka School Quality Assessment Organisation. Kamath says that introduction of technology in education needs to be enhanced for better results. Olakadu School has won Best School Award in Udupi District in 2004, Best School which has integrated Technology in Education (State award) 2005 jointly awarded by DSERT and Intel, National award for Best Integration of Technology in Education 2007 awarded by Intel at Chandigarh, Best Eco Club award by KUDSEMP in the year 2008.Kamath feels teachers should be honored for their generous contributions and his message to the teachers on the occasion of Teachers Day is: “Teachers should love and express lots of affection towards their students.”

Catholic Shikshana Mandali celebrated Teachers’ Day on September 2

The Catholic Shikshana Mandali has celebrated Teachers’ Day at Shanthi Kiran Hall in Nanthoor on Thursday, September 2, 2010.  Student achievers, who had secured top marks in the SSLC exams, and retiring teachers were felicitated on this occasion.

’A good teacher is like a candle - it consumes itself to light the way for other’