Question: Social Media allures students easily. But, the syllabus of schools and colleges does not attract them, why? – Teacher S. Ravi, Hyderabad.
Answer: Social Media's dazzling colourful visuals; enthralling music; all kinds of information, messages, stories, jokes etc., are all available thus drawing tremendous attention and robbing young minds in no time. It also provides them an opportunity to gloat about their experiences with others.
Social networking platforms captivate the senses of young students. Unfortunately, many teachers are not able to perform this.
However, there are many teachers who strive hard to keep the syllabus more interesting by having students participate in smart classroom programs, various PPT presentations, and lately using WhatsApp too as a medium of education. If teachers can extract the ability of technology-savvy students for the betterment of teaching, then their efforts may be accentuated.
Today, there appears to be a huge void of emotions between teachers and students. Our culture has practised the relationship between the Guru and his Shishya, of mutual trust and the commitment to progress. However, these ideals are to be gradually strengthened.
Today the law has enforced various restrictions on the functioning of teachers, viz., allowed to neither discipline nor reprimand mischievous students. A lack of strictness leads to a loss of compassion. This is the influence of ignorance in this generation of students.
However, this issue cannot be left unattended. The best teachers try to appeal to and impress students.
Let the teachers who work only for monetary benefits, may be left alone.
A noble teacher never shies away from his / her responsibilities and duties towards his education, students, society, and the nation. Since you are such a teacher, who is reading this article, we have a few requests for you.
Overcoming all the obstacles laid down on your path is a kind of yoga. One should take pride in one’s job and grow enormously. Man’s willpower is much stronger than physical power.
• If the teachers think to go beyond all the obstacles, embarrassments, rejections, etc., and always seek the welfare of the student…,
• If the teacher could establish a relationship with students, and thus become their well-wisher…,
• If the teacher can act with ambition and perform service with enthusiasm towards it…,
• If the teachers can believe that the trivial pleasures of social media are only for a short period of time... if they can prove it to the students…,
• If teachers, learn to use the power of their minds to impress the minds of the students with commitment and dedication…,
It is the good teacher’s experience that draws the attention of the students towards them and helps to minimize their exposure to social media networks.
Our society heavily relies on good teachers and to our relief many such teachers exist to date. I pray to Sri Ramakrishna to bless you all to become one among those teachers.
Swami Vimurtananda
09 March, 2023
Ramakrishna Math, Thanjavur