STRENGTHENING ROOTS AND SPREADING WINGS

“There are two everlasting bequests, we as torchbearers, playing the role of a teacher or a parent can give to our children. They are strengthening roots and spreading wings.” When I talk of the roots, I actually think and believe in giving our children more than the surviving skills. I mean providing them a deep and strong foundation of security and stability to excel in various spheres of life ahead.  While the depth would decide their stability in life, the height to which they can soar in this limitless sky, depends significantly on their wings; wings connoting here the appreciation, laughter,  freedom and their ignited creative minds.

As a tree with strong deep roots laughs at storms, similarly when a child nurtured with the sense of self and with a strong value system, his roots will also go deep down and firmly entwine with his traditions and culture, making him face any challenge and hardship in life with a smile on his face and courage in his deeds.

It is well said that we must give our loved ones wings to fly and the roots to come back. Here wings intercede for the recognition of the need for autonomy. The gift of wings to a child can be given by giving them opportunities to become capable and feel valued. It can also be rendered to them by alluring them liberty to take decisions for their life. But, liberty and freedom is not just about being able to do what they want when they want, it is also about being able to think, act and feel without being plagued by negative self-talk, doubts and uncertainty.

As wings give the children a vision to their aim in life, roots remind them to be grounded. Being a teacher our role is limitless. We are an incomparable support to the children in making them acquainted to their potential, by inculcating in them the sense of being committed, loyal, honest, dedicated, generous, kind and humble and above all,  a human. We are those radars which can track and surveil their fly time to time. We are the guiding force who should not only bless them with the wings, but also usher them into the direction as well.

We as teachers, must understand that our role is paramount. We are the professional gatekeepers and we have to face challenges immensely. We must test the students not only on the parameters of technology but also on the effective value system so that they can wisely comprehend difference between the terms ‘not to be used and ‘to be utilised’ in respect of advancement in science and technology.

We must make our children competent enough so that they can analyse and introspect themselves critically and can choose the best for themselves, thereby living up to their potential in numerous capacities and not being misguided. We should not forget that by making their roots deep strong and by allowing them to spread their wings, we are actually preparing them for the roads they have to step on in future.

For this, we must remember that we need to interact with them time to time, because every interaction with them provides an opportunity to strengthen our bond with them ,making their roots strong and their wings widespread.

Ms Kamini S Haldhar

The Mann School