…Chewing the Cud
I
had heard from my senior colleagues talking about Orientation Programmes and Refresher
courses and sharing their experiences. All that used to make me tensed and scared.
But after having attended Orientation Programme myself at Academic Staff College,
Shimla, I can say, it is an experience –worth-remembering.
Before
attending OP-66, I was nervous of the thought that how would four weeks be spent
over there at Shimla? Its thought was very torturous and half- heartedly I left
for Shimla. Very truly, I thought it as a part of fulfilling UGC conditions for
senior scale. I was tensed, confused and of course, curious too, on the very first
day i.e.Aug.25,2003 when I stepped in ASC, Shimla.
Surprisingly, most of my doubts were removed on the first day, when we were very
warmly welcomed by Prof. Yoginder Verma, Dr. K.S. Pathania, Prof. A.S. Sethi and
Dr.(Mrs.)Kiran Rekha as they guided us about the rules and regulations of UGC
and how the whole programme would be conducted. We were told to be prepared for
any kind of test at anytime.
Almost three months have passed since September 21,2003 when I returned to Abohar.
I find a lot of changes in myself. Yes, I do believe that a teacher should be
like a guide, a friend and a philosopher to his students. How to put this statement
into practice, I have learnt it now. I have learnt to reach out to every student
in my class and listen to their problems more patiently and convince them in removing
their doubts. I find more friendly and disciplined environment in my class as
it has never ever been before. I believe that a teacher can become better if he
works harder, he can become the best, if he works hardest and puts his sincerest
efforts and energies, but even then, he should not stop, instead try to become
better than the best. Myself, being a convenor of Gems Committee, I have picked
Prof. Yoginder Verma’s views: “As is the attitude so is the altitude.”
Honestly speaking, this programme has given me more than enough. We were 29 participants
from 17 disciplines, belonging to 8 different states. This programme has given
us an opportunity in terms of meeting with different colleagues from different
parts of India. The participants who were enthusiastic have certainly come back
with over loaded hands with regard to know the unknown.
I feel proud to mention here the well- planned and systematic routine at ASC.
We were really made to work and it is from there that I have learnt the best about
‘Time Management’ which ultimately means life management. All the same,
warming-up and technical sessions were very interactive and productive. For this,
the credit goes to the members of ASC again for selecting the resource persons
from different fields and not letting it turn into boredom. It provided the participants
an opportunity to know various aspects and issues related to teaching. Lectures
of Prof. Yoginder Verma, Prof. I.P. Massey, Prof. Y.K. Sharma, Prof. Mita Biswas,
Prof. Sagar Sharma, Prof. S. L. Sharma, Prof. A. S. Sethi, Dr. K. S. Pathania,
Dr. D.R. Vij and friendly interaction with Dr. (Mrs.)Kiran Rekha especially ,
contributed a lot in this direction. A cherishing experience of being evaluated
by Prof. Y.K. Sharma, co-participants and oneself, needs a special mention here.
We all got a chance to see our own pluses and minuses while teaching, through
a constructive exercise of ‘Microteaching’, which was captured in a
video camera that gave us an opportunity to know ourselves and improve ourselves.
To know one another in a better way, arrangements made to go for an excursion
at Kufri and Naldera, were excellent.
Every exercise including the celebration of cultural evening, aimed at bringing
out the latent talent of the participants and had given them the tips to extract
the best out of their students. For all this, I am forever indebted to UGC-ASC,
H.P.U. Shimla and its staff for their tacit support in every respect.
Ms.
Vandana Munjal
Lecturer in Political Science,
DAV College Abohar, Punjab
Reflections 