Know Thy Students (For Teachers & Principals)

Know Thy Students

(For Teachers & Principals)

Teaching students the subjects of their syllabus is not an easy job. It becomes formidable when the teachers have to deal with the students who are entirely ‘out of tune’ and not focused at all on their subjects. Some teachers may ignore such students thinking that over-all grading of these students will be satisfactory due to their good response in other activities. Moreover, such teachers may have a common excuse in their defense ‘that these students are also not focused in other subjects.’

But, it is not advisable for the teachers to ignore them because it is their duty to bring them in the mainstream and make them in tune with other students. Before I put forward some suggestions, let me give an analysis of a class on the basis of general discussion with so many teachers.

Usually, the students of a class having 40 students may be divided in four categories. 

The students who are well motivated, obedient, talented, enthusiastic and full of the spirit of competition fall in the first category.

The second category includes the students who are desirous of coming in the first category, but they lag behind due to one reason or the other. They also have enthusiasm to learn the things. They are also obedient, but they fail to touch their target to come in the first category. Actually, such students need teachers’ a little bit more attention. Some of them may suffer from the tendency for ‘slow in writing’, ‘bad- hand-writing’, ‘slow in understanding’, having ‘weak eye-sight’, being ‘bullied by their bench mates, while a few other students’may suffer from ‘ADHD’ (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), etc. Some of their parents may be illiterate, so they may feel difficulty in understanding their topic at home. Some of them need repetition by the teacher while he or she is teaching the whole class. 
Here, I would like to mention that some teachers may lack in patience when some students wish repetition of a certain points. The teacher must never take it for granted that all the students are able to understand everything in the first ‘go’. 
The teacher must be proficient in understanding the child’s psychology. He or she must read the faces of the students while teaching them and keep their eye-contact with each and every student every now and then so that the careless students may remain alert. There is a dire need of having penetrating eyes which can scan the minds of the students.

The students under this category can be upgraded by the efforts of the teacher concerned. They form a bigger chunk of the whole class and, therefore, the result of the class can be upgraded if this category of the students is properly given heed.

The third category of the students is very less in number, but they keep the teachers always on their toes or in troubled waters. They draw the teachers’ attention every now and then by their tactics, pranks and mischievous activities. They are five to ten in each class. If you call their parents, they also show their helplessness in tackling them. They are the cause of disturbance in the class. They waste not only teachers',precious time but also they disturb their process of thoughts.

The fourth category of the students includes those who are passive-learners. They may sleep even while they are watching towards the teachers intently. Their number may vary from class to class, but in general, they are five or seven students. They do not participate in any type of activities arranged in school. These students need maximum attention by all the teachers. They are very much lagging behind other students in their studies. It seems that no one has inspired them how to dream about life, to nourish thoughts for their progress and how to learn questions and answers. The answers dictated to them or written on the blackboard in bookish language are beyond their reach. They suffer from so many deficiencies which are to be detected by the teachers who spend much time with them. They also need counseling from time to time so that they may build up some confidence in them. If the teachers find time to talk to them on their problems, about their family backgrounds, their dreams in life in a very friendly manner, they may develop a rapport with the teachers and that will surely help them tackle these students.

The Principal of the school may demand latest reports about the students of any of these categories and may also demand suggestions in meetings to tackle their problems.

It is pertinent to note here that a few students in each class may suffer from ‘ADHD’ (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) and they should be detected and treated likewise with the help of the counsellor, their teachers and parents.

While tackling the erring students, it should always be kept in mind that they are passing through the very critical phase of their life, i.e. adolescent period. So an extra element of sympathy is needed on the part of the teachers while dealing with them. The teachers should place themselves in their position and imagine the time when they themselves were going through that phase of life. In this period, the students need attention. They want recognition. Finding themselves  unable to reach the top of studies, some of the students resort to making mischief in the class-rooms so that other students may well recognize them. Although this way is negative for them, yet it suits them well and they don’t bother about its negative side effects.  So, such students may be given opportunity to take part in some activities suitable to them. This is the period when the students have immense energies in them and that needs to be channelized properly. 

But the common problem that is found mostly in public schools is their tight time-table schedule. A period is hardly of half an hour. A teacher finds hardly 20 minutes to teach his or her lesson properly. Then there is a pressure of completing the syllabus on time. The teacher does not find ample time to repeat the topic if it is desired by some.
Another thing that creates hurdle in teachers' way is the over-dose of activities arranged in such schools to outshine, although activities are also necessary for the all round development of students. 

Some schools arrange activities after recess when the periods of major subjects are over. If the activities come after the second or the third period, it causes over-excitement in most of the students and for one or two periods, they are not well focused.

It also happens that some students from other schools also join a particular school due to any reason. These students are usually below the mark and they keep on going up from one class to the other without much improvement. When they appear in a board class, they bring low results, and it spoils the name of the school.

If the school has allowed them admission due to any constraint, it is its duty to find ways to teach them in some extra period separately.

Know Thy Personality

Have you ever tried to understand your personality? If not, please do it.

We very often think about others and keep on evaluating their personalities.

This does not benefit us so much as we are benefited by doing our own evaluation and introspection.

If we understand ourselves, we can remove our deficiencies and bring about an improvement in ourselves.

If we think ourselves perfect, it’s our folly.

Nothing is perfect in this mortal world; nothing is complete truth, except God.

 The first stage to understand ourselves is that we should believe that we are not perfect in everything. We must consider ourselves incomplete beings and try to find out as to in which area we are deficient.

I may tell you to the easiest way to find out our deficiency. I will present before you several personalities you will find out yourselves among them.

Please take it granted that everyone cannot have everything.  We are always deficient in one thing or the other in our life.

If you have patience, believe me that you possess the greatest treasure of the world.

  

Some people (men or women) are such as want to make themselves pitiable & discontented and find peace and satisfaction in this situation even if they have enough in their life. Despite that, they have to remain uncomfortable and worried.

Think of a person in whose house ‘all is well’; the son works in a company; daughters have been married off and he (father) himself lives willingly in his parental village with his wife.

  

He still nourishes a hope that his son must take prior permission from him to fulfill all domestic needs. For example, if he wants to purchase an AC or a washing machine for his use, he must ask his father for permission.

If you are such a father, please understand and grant your son independence in this independent country. It you are such a son, we feel sorry for you and hope that your father will be reading this blog!

Let your son live according to his decisions when he becomes economically independent.

Now I tell you about a person, who is a woman; who got married two or three years ago.

When a girl becomes a married woman and comes to live in a new house with her in-laws, she has to bring about some changes in her personality; she has to make some adjustments in new conditions and has to make a coordination and harmony where there are hurdles and oddities.

If she does not do so, she will remain upset.

There are such persons who always take delight in teasing others or disturbing peaceful atmosphere by their pieces of mischief.

Dear readers, you will be astonished to know that such persons are found in abundance in this world.

( In my next blog, I will talk about some more personalities. Please wait!)

अपने वक्तित्व को समझिए! Understand Your Personality!

क्या आपनेअपने आप को समझने का प्रयत्न कभी किया है?

यदि  नहीं तो कृपया ऐसा अवश्य कीजिये l

हम अक्सर दूसरों के ही बारे में सोचते हैं और उनके ही व्यक्तित्व के बारे में अपना मूल्यांकन करते रहते हैंl

इस मूल्यांकन का हमें इतना लाभ नहीं होता  जितना हमें अपना मूल्यांकन करने से होता हैl

यदि हम अपने आप को समझ लें तो हम अपनी कमियों को दूर कर सकते हैं, स्वयं में सुधार कर सकते हैं l

यदि हम स्वयं को परफेक्ट अथवा पूर्ण मानते हैं तो यह हमारी भूल हैl

इस संसार में कुछ भी पूर्ण नहीं हैं ; कुछ भी पूर्ण सत्य नहीं है सिवाय परमात्मा केl

पहला चरण यही है कि हम स्वयं को अधूरा मान लें और अपनी कमियों को ढूढ़ने का प्रयत्न   करेंl 

अपनी कमियों को ढूढ़ने का मैं आपको सरल उपाय बताता हूँ l

जिन व्यकित्वों की मैं अब बात करूँगा, आप केवल यह पहचानने का प्रयत्न  कीजिये कि उनमें से आप कौन से हैंl

कृपया आप यह भी मान कर चलिए कि सब को सब कुछ कभी नहीं मिल सकता; किसी न किसी वस्तु की कमी आपके जीवन में अवश्य रहती हैंl

यदि संतोष और सब्र आपके पास है तो समझ लीजिए की दुनियां का सबसे बड़ा खजाना आप के पास हैl

 कुछ व्यक्ति (महिला या पुरुष)  ऐसे होते हैं जो स्वयं को दया का पात्र बनl कर रखना कहते हैं; उन्हें इसी स्थिति में सुकून या चैन मिलता हैl

भले ही उनके जीवन में बहुत कुछ है l इतना होने के बावजूद भी उन्हें परेशान और बेचैन रहना ही हैl

ऐसा व्यक्तित्व एक पिता का भी हो सकता है, जिसके घर में सब ठीक है, बेटा किसी कम्पनी में जॉब करता है और अपनी पत्नी के साथ दूर किसी शहर में रहता है ; बेटी या बेटियों की शादी हो चुकी है और वह स्वयं अपनी इच्छा से अपने पुश्तैनी गांव में अपनी पत्नी के साथ  रहता हैl  

वह अपने बेटे से अब भी यही उम्मीद करता है कि वह अपने सारे कार्य उनसे पूछ पूछ कर करे  यदि कोई बड़ी वस्तु घर में खरीद कर लानी है तो उनसे ही परमिशन लेंl

यदि आप भी ऐसे पिता हैं तो कृपया अपने बेटे को स्वतन्त्र ही रहने दीजियेl

उसे अपना जीवन उसके  अनुसार ही जीने दीजिये l

मैं अब आपको ऐसे ही व्यक्ति के बारे में बताता हूँ जो  एक महिला हो सकती है, जिन की शादी दो तीन वर्ष पूर्व ही हुई हैl जब कोई लड़की शादी होने के कारण अपने सास व् ससुर के घर आती है तो उसे अपने जीवन में कुछ बदलाव लाने होते हैंl उसे अब दूसरों की सोच  और अपनी सोच में ताल -मेल या समन्वय स्थापित करना होता हैl

यदि वह ऐसा नहीं करेगी तो परेशान ही रहेगीl

कुछ व्यक्तित्व ऐसे होते हैं जिन्हे अशांति पैदा करने में ही मज़ा आता हैl

प्रिय पाठको आप हैरान होंगे कि इस दुनियां में ऐसे व्यक्तित्व बहुत हैंl

(अभी शेष है ...)

...how to react to unsavoury remarks.

Pupil: Sometimes our own near and dear ones say something that hurts and pinches us so much that we get irritated and intend to react immediately in the same tone. Several times we do so, but that spoils the mood and our day gets lost somewhere because those words keep on haunting our mind. Whenever we think to enjoy our present time, those words of the past appear before our inward eye and dance like specters horrible.

What is the solution to it?

Teacher: What do you want?

Pupil: I want peace of mind. I want to enjoy my present time quite oblivious of the unsavoury things.

Teacher: Then, why do you complain about this. Forget the incident and enjoy your present.

Pupil: I want to set him or her right?

Teacher: How can you set others right without setting yourself right?

Pupil: I have not understood your point Guruji.

Teacher: It is very simple. Suppose you react at once in the same tone to make him or her irritated because you yourself have got the one. It would not decrease your irritation, rather the Satan in you will be pleased and he will keep on inciting you to do such negative activities.

On the other hand, if you console yourself by making you understand that that person has very little sense of behaviour. He or she has not got broad mind to behave with people in a courteous manner. So it is not his or her fault. So why make myself irritated?

Pupil. Thank you Guruji. I would follow it now and make my life go smoothly and peacefully.

दिलोदिमाग़ Thoughts versus Emotions

ईश्वर ने दिल को ऊंचा स्थान नहीं दिया है1 यह स्थान दिमाग को ही दिया है1 इसीलिए दिल की सुनो परन्तु उसपर अमल सोच समझ कर करो नहीं तो गलतियां होती रहेंगी और आप कहोगे:

ज़रा सी बात पे हर रस्म तोड़ आया था,
दिल-ए-तबाह ने भी क्या मिज़ाज पाया था !!
-जाँ निसार अख़्तर..

The Superior Way To Live Life!

There have been good points as well as negative points in civilizations of the world. We should imbibe in us the good points of them.
In western civilization, there has been an emphasis on materialism and they have explored it to the optimum while the Orientals have explored the spiritual field to the optimum.
Material world, although indispensable, brings forth many evils and makes our life infested with them while the spirituality cures the evils born out of materialism, and in this way it is the superior way of living on the planet Earth without much tension. Tension does come in our life as we have to adopt materialism also to become a part of the mainstream of life, but it is released with our spiritualistic beliefs!
Spiritualism helps us win over the irrelevant desires and keeps us away from the mad race of materialism!
प्रत्येक सभ्यता में कुछ बुराइयां भी होती हैं और कुछ अच्छाइयां भी १
हमें अच्छाइयों को अपनाना चहिये१
पश्चमी सभ्यता के लोगों ने भौतिकता वाद पर अधिक बल दिया है जब कि हमारी सभ्यता में अध्यातिमकवाद पर अधिक बल दिया है १
यदि हम अध्यातिमकता पर चलें तो भौतिकतावाद से जो बुराई पैदा होती है उस-से बचा जा सकता है!
आध्यातिमकतावाद से मन पर विजय प्राप्त कि जा सकती है जब कि भतिकतावाद हमें पैसे और अन्य भौतिक वस्तुओं के भोग और उनके अधिपत्य क़ी एक पागलपन वाली दौड़ में शामिल कर देता है!
इस प्रकार से हम भौतिकतावादी होते हुवे भी आध्यातिमकता के मार्ग पर चल सकते हैं!

इंसान गलतियों का पुतला है

इंसान गलतियों का पुतला है......गलतियां कोई कार्य करते समय हो सकती है हमारे आचरण में हो सकती हैं, हमारी वाणी के कारण हो सकती हैं तथा हमारे स्वभाव में आये अचानक बदलाव के कारण हो सकती है क्यों  कि आज के युग में हर इंसान किसी न किसी तरह के दबाव व् तनाव का शिकार है1

सबसे बड़ी बात है कि हम अपने व्यवहार का मुल्यांकन करें पर अपनी गलती का एहसास होते ही उसे मान लें1

इससे और बड़ी बात यह है कि हम गलती करने वाले को दिल से क्षमा भी कर दें ये सोच कर कि गलती तो हमसे भी होती है और अपने रिश्ते को और मजबूत करने के रस्ते पर आगे बढ़ जाएँ!

...why some people always remain enthusiastic and spirited?

Have you ever thought why we aren't always the same i.e. full of enthusiasm and hope? Some of the people who always remain spirited may be an exception.

Our mind is the source where from all thoughts emerge and then the processing of those thoughts is very much necessary; otherwise, those crude thoughts will find manifestation in several forms. Those will come out in the shape of speech, actions or remain in the mind in silent mode.

If the person is religiously and morally strong, there is very less chance that the crude thoughts take place in the mind or they succeed in becoming mature without passing through the automatic filter of screening crude thought.

To make our moral fiber strong we need to be religious-minded. Then we must be habitual of doing introspection, studying great books and gaining much of wisdom from life-experiences.

The problem arises for the teen-agers whose thoughts are dominated by their emotions.

When any thought emerge in our minds, it is also pushed by the emotional urge. If the person does not give it time to pass through the screening filter, it comes out in the form of words, action or shape the outlook of the person.

I am talking about the ‘screening filter’ which is nothing but a phrase to describe the process that usually takes place in our minds to maintain a balance between thoughts and emotions so that our actions, speech and outlook towards life in general and towards other people becomes mature and exhibit wisdom.

The people who use this screening filter are supposed to be wise and rational in their behaviour.

Now I talk about those who always remain enthusiastic and energetic. These are the people who adhere to their time-table and certain principles of life. They do their activities according to their planning. They do not work randomly.

Their day begins with morning walk and by doing some physical exercises, yoga, meditation, etc. They do not break this routine. They have fixed time for eating, relaxing, entertainment and other activities. They have full emotional control and so they have very good eating habits.

Negative thoughts do come in their minds, but they channelize these into positive or rational activities. That’s why they remain enthusiastic and spirited.

सुख हैं तो दुःख भी होंगे!

हम सब जीवन को सरल और आसान शब्दों में परिभाषित करना चाहते हैं1

प्राचीन काल से कवियों लेखकों और दार्शनिकों ने जीवन को विभिन्न प्रकार से परिभाषित किया है 1

परन्तु अभी भी जीवन अपरिभाषित प्रतीत होता है

इसी लिए तो यह जटिल है ...कब क्या हो जाये...क्या स्थिति उत्पन्न हो जाये यह कोई भी नहीं बता सकता !

जितना हम उम्र में बड़ा होते हैं और तजुर्बे हासिल करते हैं, उतना ही हम ज़िंदगी के रहस्यों की गुत्थी को सुलझाना चाहते हैं1

ज़िंदगी उतनी ही उलझती चली जाती है और आदमी मृत्यु शैया पर भी शायद इसी के बारे में सोचता होगा1

इस सदर्भ में मुझे एक फिल्म  आनंद का एक गीत याद आ रहा है:

"ज़िंदगी कैसी है पहेली हाय,

कभी ये हंसाये, कभी ये रुलाये... !!"

प्रिय दोस्तों, अधिक मायूस होने की आवयश्कता नहीं हैं1

हम इसे टुकड़ों में समझना बेहतर समझेंगे1

आओ जीवन का एक साधारण सा पहलू लेते हैं1

हम सब सुख पसंद करते हैं और दुःख पसंद नहीं करते1

हम सब दुखों को जानबूझ कर आमंत्रित करना तो बिलकुल भी नहीं चाहते!

फिर भी वे हमारे जीवन में चुपचाप चले आते हैं और हम सबको उदास बना देते हैं1

इस अवस्था में, ज़रूरत इस बात की हैं कि दुखों का सामना सहजपूर्ण  तरीके से करना चाहिए1

यह सरासर हमारी भूल या बेवकूफी होगी अगर हम दुखों के लिए स्वयं को या दूसरों को दोषी ठहराने लगा जाएँ1 

अनेकों लोग विश्वाश करते हैं कि दुःख हमारे  पिछले जन्म के बुरे कर्मों का फल होता है1

उनमें से बहुत सा दुःख तो हम पूर्व जन्म में ही भोग चुके होते हैं और जो शेष रह गया था वह हम इस जन्म में भोगते हैं1

इसीप्रकार , इस जन्म में जो भी बुरे करम हमारे द्वारा किये जायेंगे, उन सबका परिणाम हमने इस जन्म में भोगना पड़ेगा1

यदि दुष्कर्म अधिक किये हैं तो उनका फल उसी अनुपात में हमें मिलता है ....यदि सारा फल जो दुखों के रूप में होता है इस जन्म में नहीं भोगा गया तो आने वाले जीवन में हिसाब चुकता करना पड़ेगा1

कितनी सरल और समझ आने वाली बात है ये जो हमारे   बुजुर्ग हमें समझते आये हैं1

वे सदैव कहते आये हैं1

"जैसा करोगे, वैसा भरोगे1"

"पाप का घड़ा कभी तो भरता और फूटता है1 "

कितनी सटीक कहावते हैं ये!

परन्तु हम विज्ञान कि दृष्टि से इन्हे अन्धविश्वाश की  संज्ञा देते हैं1

भले ही अन्धविश्वाश है ये फिर भी लाभकारी है ये !

दुखों क़ी प्रकिर्या से गुजरना धुंध क़ी सफ़ेद अंधकार से भरे वातावरण में से गुज़रने के समान हैं1

ऐसे में यदि हम अपनी कार ड्राइव कर रहें हैं तो ऐसा प्रतीत होता है कि हम एक सफेद गुफा में से गुज़र रहे हैं जिसमें हमें कुछ नज़र नहीं आता1

हम केवल धीरे धीरे अपनी कार को आगे बढ़ाते हुए गुफा में से बाहर आने का पर्यटन कर रहे हैं1

हमने केवल अपने साहस, सब्र और चौकसी का परिचय देना है ताकि हम विजयी होकर उस गुफा से बाहर निकल सकें1

हम यह तो नहीं कर सकते कि अपनी गाड़ी को रोक कर वहीँ खड़े हो जाएँ और उस विकट  पर   परिस्थिति का मातम मानते रहें!

परन्तु कुछ समय पश्चात, वे धुंध के घने बादल छट जाते हैं और सूर्य देवता उन बादलों को चीरता हुआ इस धरा को रोशनमय कर देता है1

हमें यह प्रतीत होता है कि जैसे धुंध के बदल वातावरण में कभी थे ही नहीं !     

ठीक इसी प्रकार से दुखों के बादल  भी हमारे जीवन से गायब हो जाते है1

जब दुःख गायब हो जाते हैं तो हम सब दुखों की कल्पना भी नहीं करना चाहते1

बस आवश्यकता होती है सब्र की, साहस की और उपरवाले में अटूट विश्वाश की1 

बिना दुःख के सुख की महत्वता बिलकुल भी नहीं है1

हमें सुख की कीमत का पता केवल दुःख के समय ही चलता है1

जब हमारा सामना दुखों के साथ हो रहा होता है, तो उस समय हमें यह जानने का प्रयत्न करना चाहिए कि वे क्या कारण थे जो दुखों की वजह बने1

एक बार वे कारण हमें ज्ञात हो जाएँ तो फिर हमें नुक्सान की भरपाई में लग जाना चाहिए और उन कारणों से सीख लेनी चाहिए ताकि भविष्य में पिछली गलतियों   को न दोहराया जाये!

कभी-कभी हमें असुखद और विपरीत परिस्थिति का सामना दूसरों के कारण भी करना पड़ जाता   है1

उस स्थिति में हमें उन लोगों के साथ अधिक देर तक उलझना नहीं चाहिए1

उनकी अवहेलना करना ही समझदारी होता है1

केवल दुःख का मातम मानते रहना और दूसरों के साथ उलझते रहने से समस्या का हल निकलने वाला नहीं है1

इससे न केवल आप अपने मन की शांति भंग करोगे अपितु अपने परिवार की भी1

आपका काम अथवा रोज़गार भी प्रभावित होगा1

आओ जीवन को सुखद, सहज, सरल और रोचक बनायें1

समस्याओं का समाधान विवेकपूर्ण ढंग से करें!