Courage means facing one's fears. It is essential in all spheres of life and leads to a change in oneself, making one stronger. Sometimes one has to get out of one's comfort zone and adjust to a new environment. This, too, is courage. Being honest and believing in one's honesty is also courageous.
Teachers are like mirrors for their students. The students tend to imbibe whatever a teacher speaks through his or her words or actions. Not pretending and being oneself is also courage. A teacher must teach students to accept and be proud of themselves regardless of their weaknesses. They should be cherished for who they are and given the space where they can be more aware of themselves. In no situation should they be afraid or ashamed of accepting the truth about themselves or sharing it with others. Seeking help and shunning one's ego is also courage.
As teachers, we must ensure that the children feel safe with us. They should be able to have faith in us. Simultaneously, they should learn to believe in themselves. A child asking his or her doubt in class, saying, "I didn't understand", in front of the other classmates, is courage.
Teachers need to be there for the students, make them feel safe and teach them to solve their problems themselves. This way, they will be prepared to bravely face life's challenges. However, if the learners make mistakes in solving their issues, their teachers shouldn't punish them. Instead, as adults, they should stand with them and show them the right path.
Courage also reflects in sharing one's experiences with colleagues or children of how one dealt with a situation. This can also help in inspiring them and getting over their fears. Being silently supportive of our co-workers is also courageous.
Patience is being tolerant and calm in handling situations. It means not getting anxious or annoyed too quickly. It does require a lot of courage to be patient. Not complaining, having a positive attitude, and giving time and space to others all come in the arena of patience.
Patience teaches us to have faith and hope that things will get better. Working with patience leads to growth. On the other hand, losing patience can ruin the task at hand. Most of us end up giving up our patience because of the pressure from society, peers, friends or family. However, if we have the courage and the belief in ourselves, we will not lose our cool, take a stand for ourselves and help to bring about a change.
Inaction should not be misunderstood for patience. Moving towards our goal with perseverance and a peaceful mind, accepting failures as stepping stones to success, and having the will to start all over again with the belief that the result will be favourable is patience.
The farmer protest in our country is the world's most non-violent and peaceful fight for human rights. The farmers had immense patience and courage that helped them to withstand all sorts of physical, emotional and mental atrocities. They did not get frustrated and were convinced that their voices would be heard one day.
We often lose our patience when we think we are better than others or deserve much more than others. This attitude leads only to exasperation. Whenever this happens, we should take a step back and introspect. High expectations from ourselves or from others can make us impatient. However, patience helps to increase our power of endurance, persistence and better decision making.
As teachers, we need to be role models of being patient with our students. Being a good and silent listener and helping the children cope with their worries and hassles will help them become more accepting, contented and forbearing. They will learn to shift their focus from a problem to possible solutions without complaining. This will also teach them to be emphatic.
I was lucky to have chanced upon such an uplifting article, most likely written by a very mature teacher and a very kind and loving soul. This wonderfully worded piece rekindles our faith and belief in this most noble profession and we definitely are so happy for the students who have such devoted teachers. Ms. Guneet Kaur would most certainly have a very large following of students who would remember her for having shaped their happy & successfull future adorned with virtues such as grace, dignity, empathy, self-respect and non-judgemental respect for others. Keep up the wonderful work - God bless you!
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