The Words That Stayed With Me

It was 2017. I resigned from Sacred Soul Convent School, Dhandhra Road, near Duggri. I had successfully completed two years there, but the place was too far — 15 KM one side! The school management is good and they are providing quality education in rural areas.

I learnt a lot from the Principal at that time, Mrs. Navjot Kaur Takkar. She was the first who taught me how to write minutes of a meeting, how to set a question paper using minimum space, as she believed in saving paper to save trees. I have many good memories and many more life lessons from there. And how can I forget the P.T. Teacher, Mr. Kamal, who had his own gym at school and I too got the opportunity to work out there under his guidance. He is a very good human being with a great sense of humour.

Then, my best friend Mr. Bhalinder Singh, who came from Jassowal village. He had great knowledge and a superb understanding of almost all areas of Education. And the best thing about him was his way of teaching. He taught in a very unique way. Most of the time his class was one of the noisiest. Students enjoyed his teaching. Sometimes he would tell students, "Haven't you taken your lunch? Shout loudly." And I was the one who suffered the most because my subject needs silence and discipline to teach new concepts. But he is indeed unique and his students always scored more than 90%, while mine were only 5 or 6. Two teachers using different ways, but still best friends.

It's because our alma mater is same — GHG Khalsa College of Education, Gurusar Sadhar.

When I resigned, I came to know about GMT Public School, Jalandhar By-pass. There was a vacancy for PGT English. So I went for an interview. It was July 2017... No, perhaps I don't remember the month. Yes, now I recall, it was September 16, 2017. My interview was taken by S. Kashmir Singh Thind Sir, the Director of the school, and Principal Mrs. Charanpreet Kaur, Vice Principal Mrs. Geetu, and Head of the English Department, Mrs. Anju Sabarwal. They asked me a few questions and then I had a final interview with S. Kashmir Singh Thind Ji. After deciding the salary, he said I could join from October 03, 2017. I agreed and he said I may go now. I rose and went towards the exit door, then suddenly I was called back.

Sir said, "Kake, gal sun, tik ke padhaai. Char-panj hazaar vich kuch nahi rakhya. Jadon tusi school baar-baar change karde ho, tuhadi value zero ho jandi hai. Sab kuch phir zero ton start karna painda hai."

In English: "Beta, listen. Teach with stability. There is nothing in four-five thousand rupees more. When you change schools repeatedly, your value becomes zero and you have to start everything from zero again."

Those words got printed in my mind. I pondered, "Will I ever achieve that ideal?"

He gave me a new direction that day. Unfortunately, I resigned after his death, but again I got an opportunity to work in his one more institution, GMT International Public School, under the guidance of Mrs. Amarjit Dhaliwal Ma'am. Here I got clarity and stability. Now I have successfully completed 8 years in this school.

So, today when I was on my way to home, suddenly the image of Kashmir Sir came to my mind — a contented face with a smile.

Finally I achieve his ideal! But it would never have been possible without the guidance and support of Dhaliwal Ma'am.

I am thankful and will remain indebted to both of them.