Can the cat and mice, both play?

(This article appears in Gosumag 2008 - the annual college magazine of Seth GS Medical College. Its basically a potrait of an 'ideal teacher' - a rather puerile and sick topic i was told to write on. Obviously, the article is also as pathetic. Why it was printed, is still a mystery.)

An average-intelligent mouse wouldn’t want to take such a risk. No one would – masochism is not in vogue. However, after my medical admission, I felt like a masochist mouse making way into a feline colony. I remember discussing with a friend once in the train, “Imagine, all our teachers would actually be doctors! They would be so strict… we would be walloped in no time!” The rest of the journey was spent thinking about how miserable our lives would be in a medical school. Of course, the twaddle went on to conjure up a new recipe – that of an ideal teacher, whom we rightly named, ‘Prof. Gillette’ – the best a man can get.

A medical-teacher is a different personality if you compare with conventional teachers, so to speak. A school teacher is more like our pitaji/mataji; whereas we share quiet a friendly relationship with most teachers in the campus. Guru Gillette is therefore, an easygoing, down to earth person. He/she is very much astute, sharp, witty, proficient and well-versed.

Since it is the ultimate aim of all Gsites to arrange clinics/lectures, Mr. Gillette should succumb to all such requests instantly. The success rate of getting a clinic arranged should be equal amongst girls and boys – Gillette sir shouldn’t be partial towards the fairer sex. In such clinics/lectures, we don’t like our teachers stammering and searching for words to fill their mouth. We love it when professors snub an occasional Doubting Thomas who is loaded with too many questions and crows over nothing.

Every student reveres someone who is thorough with the subject and communicates well. Jonathan Kozol, in his book Letters to a Young Teacher, says, “The worst possible advice for a teacher is ‘start out tough and stick to the curriculum’”. Better teachers are aware of latest publications in medical journals and make it a point to share it with interested students. Time spent in discussing chokra-chokri lafdas and bhaaji-pala rates are not appreciated by any individual. Clinics should teach us concepts instead of unimportant statistics, numbers and probability equations.

Gilletteji should be smartly dressed and must encourage male/female residents (…wink) to be suave as well. At the same time, it’s annoying when Swami Gillette gives an ‘aati-kya-Khandala’ look to female students. It’s simple; we hate all sorts of competition.

An ideal teacher evaluates all students in an examination without any bias. He/she appreciates good answers and encourages when mistakes are made. He/she recognises deserving students and gives them their due. Gilletteji welcomes every student in his/her cabin for a viva with a lot of warmth – giving airhostesses a run for their money. They strive to make their students comfortably seated. They don’t give that ‘yay! tu fail ho gaya’ look to a particularly dull student.

We would appreciate teachers who allow us in a lecture even if we are ten minutes late – we would make sure to be on time for the next lecture if it’s indeed thought-provoking. They shouldn’t waste too much time in acts of futility such as correcting our journals. Instead, it would be great if Prof. Gillette helps us organise a few literary/sports/music events.

As Adyashantiji puts it, “True teaching leads to the freedom of no teaching, no teacher and no student”. Therefore, teachers can be our guides and help us decide a fruitful career; create better clinicians and individuals from crude students like us; treat us like similar younger humans – Gilletteji has been through all this at some point in time as well.

If the cat so wishes, maybe it can play together with the mice.

(Writing this piece brings back to memory Mrs. Gool, Supervisor for Primary Section, St. Blaise High School – this piece is a humble dedication)