Teacher Vs Guru.
I realize its almost a year since I blogged!
I am not surprised that a hullabaloo has been raised over the issue of the Teacher Vs the Guru. As I understand, a teacher is one who works in a school or an institute that imparts education; one who could fall into the categories as put forth by William Arthur Ward-the mediocre, the good, the superior and the great
We have come to look upon one who provides formal education as a teacher and one who teaches a mantra or Vedanta as an Acharya. The Guru occupies a place above; a Guru may be termed as an influential teacher or a revered mentor.
The teacher is an important unit in nation building, central to both the problems of education and their solutions. Hence teachers need to be motivated and inspired. Did our Prime Minister not consider it important to address the teachers and their myriad issues on Teachers Day? Instead, he chose to address the students at a time, when most schools get over for the day.
I believe a teacher can be looked upon as a Guru, hence the celebration of GuruUtsav through an essay writing competition for children seems more befitting a Children's'day programme. Of course, one needs to overlook political issues and consider the fact that Childrens Day celebrates Children and not Pundit Jawaharlal Nehru!
The government is hardly celebrating the Teacher or the role of teachers by not addressing their issues. I wish the political parties had taken up this issue instead of harping on the nomenclature and how it is all about creating a divide in society.
As a teacher, I am greatly disappointed to know that Prime Minister Modi would rather address bureaucrats, diplomats, film stars, US and British delegations, party cadres, business leaders, the Indian Armed Forces, corporates, youth and even woman power but not the Teacher!
I am not surprised that a hullabaloo has been raised over the issue of the Teacher Vs the Guru. As I understand, a teacher is one who works in a school or an institute that imparts education; one who could fall into the categories as put forth by William Arthur Ward-the mediocre, the good, the superior and the great
We have come to look upon one who provides formal education as a teacher and one who teaches a mantra or Vedanta as an Acharya. The Guru occupies a place above; a Guru may be termed as an influential teacher or a revered mentor.
The teacher is an important unit in nation building, central to both the problems of education and their solutions. Hence teachers need to be motivated and inspired. Did our Prime Minister not consider it important to address the teachers and their myriad issues on Teachers Day? Instead, he chose to address the students at a time, when most schools get over for the day.
I believe a teacher can be looked upon as a Guru, hence the celebration of GuruUtsav through an essay writing competition for children seems more befitting a Children's'day programme. Of course, one needs to overlook political issues and consider the fact that Childrens Day celebrates Children and not Pundit Jawaharlal Nehru!
The government is hardly celebrating the Teacher or the role of teachers by not addressing their issues. I wish the political parties had taken up this issue instead of harping on the nomenclature and how it is all about creating a divide in society.
As a teacher, I am greatly disappointed to know that Prime Minister Modi would rather address bureaucrats, diplomats, film stars, US and British delegations, party cadres, business leaders, the Indian Armed Forces, corporates, youth and even woman power but not the Teacher!
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