Good Morning Sir!!!

Good Morning Sir!!!.A thin but piercing voice made me turn around. I looked at the poverty clad face of a little girl-probably a seven year old child. She wore an old, torn but clean uniform. I did not make her anticipating sparkling eyes wait long. With a heartfelt smile I wished her 'Good Morning'. She continued her walk with a big smile which I'll never forget.

This wonderful incident happened when I was waiting to cross the busy road to go to my new school, Sancta Maria International School.

The formal greetings, which I personally feel is a must for character building have become a rare phenomenon (nostalgic) in todays 'hi-tech' schooling. The dignity of 'teachers' in these schools have dipped to the level of just caretaker due to the enormous pressure of the newly 'created' educational culture. In this scenario the children fail miserably to make a distinction between teachers and servants (most of the high class children do have personal 'servants'). Hence they prefer the language of ignorance to formal greetings.

While crossing the road I realized - this stranger, government- school child has grilled my professional ego. If this innocent soul can do that to me, as an educator I must be able to do that. ( It is not going to be an easy task. Here is a character building anecdote - When my senior colleague, in one of my previous schools, “arrested” and wished a 9 grade boy 'good morning', the boy with a disturbing grin wished her back and continued the process by adding 'good morning wall', 'good morning door', 'good morning steps', and went on. One can well imagine the plight of my colleague.)

If we educators understand and realize that a sound character is above any scientific knowledge then there is no room for any more 'nostalgic' past.

Let us educators wake up….let us inculcate… let us initiate… This was the thought came to mind when I got off the bus. While approaching my school gate I saw a school boy waiting for his transport. I wished him 'Good Morning'. He frowned at me and cast his eyes again at the distant horizon for his vehicle. But I was determined. And I am…