AN ENGLISH TEACHER’S JOURNEY

 Tenzin Dhargyal

"What's that, Tenzin! You’re still making mistakes! You are very poor!" These were the remarks I used to get for my letters from my brother who was staying at Upper TCV, Dharamsala. I was getting such remarks even when I had already joined the TCV School, Suja, as a fresh student teacher, after my second college year. Yes, I was very poor in English, but eventually I managed to become a teacher.

 When I was at school, I was very poor in the English subject. My teachers were very hard working and sincere; they did everything, but still I used to be very poor. So, what had gone wrong?

 Am I really made to be that poor? No! Why? Because now I am an English teacher! Had I been made like that, I wouldn’t have become an English teacher today. Imagine an English teacher who was especially poor in English!

 In the way as we Tibetans look back into the past 50 years in exile, I look back, too, and study the main reasons of me being very poor in English during my school days, despite the ever-present support of the teachers. I’ve found two main things responsible for that poor performance. (a) Lack of interest, and (b) not knowing that learning is only for your own sake.

 1.

Interest. Interest should be there in whatever you do. Interest is like the catalyst which quickens the reaction. But unfortunately, it's quite difficult to develop such an interest. You have to know the proper reasons why you should develop certain interests in particular subjects or things. Once you have developed such an interest, then there is no need for anyone to remind you to do this and that.

 One example: many boys have lots of interest in playing football. In the back of their minds, they know why they’re interested in that particular sport. And since they already have this strong passion and interest, they spend hours on the ground without food, water and rest! Come what may, they will not keep themselves away from this game. They will try every means; blessing or curse to take it to the end. Why don't they feel tired, exhausted, playing non-stop for hours at one stretch, in that scorching sun pouring over their heads? Only because they have the interest! It is because of this interest they’re willing to face all the hurdles and problems such as heat, hunger, cold, fear of getting sick, and so on. So you see, if you have the interest, then no power in this world can stop you from achieving a particular goal. Therefore, such an interest should be there in the subject you are learning, say, English, and then see the outcome. Likewise, those who are already good in English are generally the ones who have had more interest in that particular subject, and the same applies to Tibetan, science, maths, social, etc. To have interests in academic subjects is very important.

 2.

Learning is for your own sake. Yes, we have to realise that whatever we are learning at school is all for your own sake, for nobody else. Nowadays it seems that the students are learning for us, the teachers. Many still don't realise that they’re doing home works and exercises for themselves. Me too as a young student at school, I might have thought that I was doing things for somebody else, say, my teacher. If at that time, had I realised that I was doing it all for myself, I would have secured good marks in English. But no! Because I have performed and learnt as if I was doing it for somebody else! For example, if you prepare dishes for you and your family, you try your best to cook and serve the best food. It is you who are going to eat, and if the food is not properly cooked, only you and your family get sick. Likewise when it comes to the learning, know that learning is for yourself. If you don't learn properly, it is you who will have to pay a heavy price later in life. So, knowing that you learn things for your own life is very important.

 I find these two points I have mentioned above are very important as a learner. Like I have already written, I used to make mistakes even when I was teaching. Then suddenly, because of some unavoidable circumstances, I started learning this subject with serious interest and with a fully conscious mind, and I was learning it for myself. Then, with such interests of children playing football, I worked really hard. I developed lots of ecstasy in learning because I knew I was learning for myself for the first time. Since I have learnt with interest, I could not feel any discomfort like children playing football whole day. In this way I have become a full-fledged English teacher. So, the students have to keep these two things in mind; interest, and doing it only for yourself. I have experienced this myself.