Privileged pleasure: the nano-feeling

One of the blessings of being a teacher over three decades is the opportunity life gives to witness and feel the success of the performance of students in different roles. It happens quite often, and the moments are so fulfilling that it also gives a clue on the purpose of life. Life has innumerable beads of such feelings (nano-feeling) to thread on. This is not on the success of so many students who have built their reputation in different fields of the profession, but on micro-moments of multi-pleasure experiencing the transitions in a student.

She was one of the many faces in 1986, sitting in the bench in a class room listening to my lectures at that time. A calm, composed, hardworking, silent, systematic student, who was keen on achieving academically, and eager in gaining good marks. Soft spoken and hesitant to complete sentences in front of a teacher (just for the politeness and respect she held for teachers).

2013. I am on a stage. Officially evaluating the Workshop performance of a group of teachers of the University on the posters displayed by each faculty-group. I was observing her from the stage, after 25 years, placed a little far of. She was leading one group, with few others who were also former students. I visualized that the foreign delegate has asked for a clarification to this group which I couldn’t hear from far. But then suddenly I saw her image transform from the “class room girl” two decades back (an impression that lives with me of students!), to an ever ready knowledge source, with much maturity.

My inquisitiveness had no boundary to find on how she performs. As she gently removed her eye glasses from the face, and held on to the temple of the reading glass, her eyes spread wide. Looking confidently at the person she started to clarify. Bold and specific, she actively sprung to a competent, communicative scientist, who never can be ignored. My observations were validated from the satisfaction and glow of gladness on the face of the delegate who asked the question.

Awestruck by the mind-reading on the performance of the student (who is a senior person now), gave me one of the fascinating feeling of satisfaction and joy.

This made me realize (like in various occasions involving former students in their success and performance) the depth of the imprint the images of classroom and teacher had in me! The radiance of competence, confidence and communication in the students’ face is the unit of love that gives an intense, and immeasurable feeling (nano-feeling!) for teachers who cared them.

Interestingly, and not surprisingly this nano-feeling for teachers is the greatest and unique gift the profession gives – not for assessments nor for any gains.