In the remote village of the Indian countryside was located a school, run by a charitable organisation. Due to its distance from the nearest city; no teachers were ready to travel so much for teaching the students there, all of whom were from the rural areas, and most of whom were from financially struggling backgrounds. Since it was a residential school, all the students there were living in the hostel of that school.

When Mahesh agreed to join as a teacher for that school, there were only five teachers in that entire school one of whom was the principal of that school. He was hired to teach social science and general knowledge.

During his first day itself as a teacher; he realised that most of the students were no short of being little devils. They took every opportunity and liberty to tease their new teacher in various trickeries possible.

For the first few months Mahesh was fed up of being constantly mocked by the students of various grades, big and small, to the point of leaving the job, just like previous teachers before him had done.

But fed up as he was; Mahesh was not a man who would easily give up. So from the next day onwards he changed his behaviour with his students and also changed his teaching style.

If the students behaved mischievously with him; he too became very strict and stern with them. There were times he had to scold many students very harshly or even punish a few of them, albeit with the intent of their big-brother who would only desire their good.

As a few more months passed; the principal of that school, impressed by the unique, refreshing teaching of Mahesh, imparted the duty of teaching English and Computer as well to his students. But now, the students had started hating their new teacher, as he was trying to make them study at any cost, and was pulling them out of their comfort zones.

They continued to tease Mahesh, but he continued to endure all of it, and fulfil his duties.

To see to it that his students do not get bored; he purchased a brand new projector and a speaker-system, on which we started taking various educational sessions for his students, and on weekends he also made them watch informational movies, which would make them feel refreshed.

He focused on each student individually like a good-doctor does to each of his patients, and tried to teach each of them differently in his free time, such that they too would understand all the concepts of his four subjects.

Soon, the month of March arrived, and it was the time of board exams for the students of tenth and twelfth grades.

Little did the students know that they’d see their new teacher for the last time when he would wish all of them all the best, just before the starting of their first paper.

In May the results arrived and like a miracle; all the students from tenth and twelfth grade cleared their exam, despite all hailing from rural India.

All of them now realised the worth and value of Mahesh and collectively decided to apologise for misbehaving with him, throughout the year. They also together, bought a nice shirt for their teacher and were waiting for many hours on the go, inside their school.

After few minutes via the principal and other teachers of the school, they came to know that there was a colossal accident between a bus and a car today, in which a single young man, the owner of the car, lost his life.

Eventually, it was revealed that the young man was none other than Mahesh himself!

It was at this moment all the students started crying. It was at this moment they became mature.

© Kishan Trivedi

#maturity #Teacher