To a great teacher and a great person...


Kunhome AUP school.


A tall man, brownish in complexion, clean shaven with an unobtrusive 
moustache approached and with his body leaning on a pillar introduced himself. "Hello, I am Satheeshan A.M. There are a lot of Satheeshans in Kunhome AUP school, so remember A.M too. I am a Maths
teacher. Keshavan Sir introduced your name to me even before you arrived here today and  I am glad to meet you." Without losing a breath, he continued, "You see, I have a problem. I am not in a proper state of mind. I am fine to teach, but rest of the things do not make sense to me. I am not in a proper state of mind because I lost my son recently." It came out spontaneously.  He went on to tell about his son who was studying in seventh standard in Kozhikode. Satheeshan lost his son 45 days ago- in a road accident apparently due to reckless driving. The driver who rammed his car on two boys was less than eighteen years old and was racing his Fortuneer (his dads probably) on a narrow school road. Satheeshan's eyes welled as he reminisced his son. "I am a Maths teacher and you are welcome in my class and observe." 

However, I could not go to his class because Keshavan had arranged 
for me to interactwith another set of students. I promised to meet him after the class.

Satheeshan Sir walked into my class and was silently standing in one 
corner of the room. After the class, he held my hand and escorted to his classroom, which he had turned into a Maths lab. None of the classroom I visited before had so my displays, drawings, sketches, colors etc. I was amazed to see the portrait of all the known mathematicians with their short biography, fraction tools, teaching material of various kinds and the most fascinating ones were the mathematical diagrams.

He personally explained each one of them and elaborated on how he got 
the idea and how he implemented it.

I was humbled by his approach the moment he said hello to me, now I 
was amazed to discover the teaching spirit in him. I suppose the essence of education is kept alive by teachers like him.

We spoke till we walked to the main gate. Form his hand bag, he took 
out a post cover. Inside it were few A4 size papers. He handed it to me and said that his son wrote this description of a recent trip to Ooty. His eyes welled again. He asked me to read it and give it back the next time I visit the school. "I surely will", I promised him and said him good bye.

Silently I bowed to the great teacher and the person.


Happy teachers Day


Janakiraman

Reach India Foundation

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