The Teachers Who Shaped My Life
by A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (Roots)
Start Here
Think about the times you have enjoyed learning something because of the way it was taught.
Using those experiences, rank the following qualities from 1 (most important) to 7 (least important) to answer the question 'what makes a great teacher?'
❐ Being caring and helpful, especially during difficult moments. [1]
❐ Setting clear rules for learning and being fair if rules are broken. [2]
❐ Explaining a topic in a different way if a student has not understood it. [1]
❐ Setting challenging tasks that ask students to think on their own. [3]
❐ Not letting students be discouraged if they haven't performed well on a test. [2]
❐ Giving honest feedback to students so they know how to improve. [1]
❐ Making learning fun through interesting activities. [1]
Comprehension
Read and answer
1. Choose a word from the brackets which can replace the word in bold in each sentence.
a. He drew a diagram of a bird on the blackboard depicting the wings, tail and the body structure with the head. (showing/observing)
b. We saw the marvellous formations of birds with a purpose and we were all amazed. (stunning/surprising)
c. He did not get upset by our response since he was a committed teacher. (hardworking/permanent)
d. I am saying this because my teacher's teaching and the event that I witnessed decided my future career. (observed/showed)
e. Thus my life was transformed as a rocket engineer, aerospace engineer and technologist. (changed/transported)
2. Fill in the blanks based on the speech you read. You may use your own words.
a. Shri Siva Subramania Iyer was teaching Kalam's class about a bird's flight.
b. At the end of the class, when the teacher asked whether the class had understood how birds fly, Kalam said he had not understood.
c. That evening, the class was taken to the seashore of Rameswaram to observe the flight of birds.
d. When the birds were flying, their wings were flapping and their tail was twisting.
e. The bird is powered by its own life and motivation of what it wants.
Reference to context
3. "At the end of the class, he wanted to know whether we understood how birds fly. I said I did not understand."
a. Who is 'he', 'we' and 'I' in these lines?
= In these lines, 'he' is Shri Subramania Iyer, the class teacher.
'We' is all the students of the class 8.
'I' is A.P.J. Abdul Kalam himself.
b. Would you say that the speaker's act of admitting that he had not understood was brave? Why/Why not?
= Yes, I would say that the speaker's act of admitting that he had not understood was brave.
In this type of cases, most of the students feel shy or scared to say that he did not understand. Some students feel peer pressure, some thinks that what should his classmates think about him. But the most right thing is to ignore all types of hesitation and admit that he could not understand the matter and request the teacher to explain the matter once again.
c. Why do you think nobody had understood the lesson at this point?
= I think nobody had understood the lesson at that point because many of them agreed that they did not understand while the teacher enquired about this. May be the rest did not admit because of hesitation or other reasons. And we can see that the teacher took them to the seashore of Rameswaram to explain them with practical example.
4. "Our teacher was a great teacher; he could give us a theoretical lesson coupled with a live practical example available in nature. This is real teaching."
a. Who is the speaker in these lines?
= Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam is the speaker in these lines.
b. The word 'coupled' means 'combined' in these lines. True or false?
= True. His teacher used to give them live practical example available in nature along with theoretical lesson.
c. Explain what is meant by 'real teaching' in your own words.
= I think 'real teaching' is the way teaching which would help the students to find or implement the lesson in their practical life or in nature.
Reflect and answer
5. Do you agree with Kalam's idea of 'real teaching'? Why/Why not?
=Yes, I definitely agree with Kalam's idea of 'real teaching'.
Teachers should be caring and helpful, especially during difficult moments. They should set clear rules for learning and be fair if rules are broken. They should explain a topic in a different way if a student has not understood it well with proper practical examples. They should inspire the students to think on their own. If students have not performed well on a test, they should not let them be discouraged. Teachers should give honest feedback to students so that they can improve gradually. Teachers should make learning fun through interesting activities.
6. "A student during his school life up to 10+2 spends 25,000 hours in the school campus. His life is most influenced by the teachers and the school environment."
Do you agree with this statement? Write about it in relation to your personal experiences at school.
= Yes, I agree with this statement. The school must ensure the best of teachers with the ability to teach and love teaching. Teachers should become role models.
In primary level, I was not much comfortable being in school environment. I did not understand the school system. I could not study well in home also. I wanted to be smart in studies. But I could not be well acquainted with the process of being so. Then gradually I upgraded to upper classes. I used to start spending more time in school with my teachers and classmates. This changed my life. I found fun in studies. I started enjoying learning new things. I could relate the lessons to practical life and I relished it.
7. What can be some actions through which teachers can influence students to identify and work towards their goals?
= Teachers can influence students to identify and work towards their goals by setting challenging tasks that ask students to think on their own. Giving honest feedback to students teachers can inspire them to improve and realise their strong and as well as weak points. Teachers help the students to experience all possibilities from which they can choose and set their future goals.
8. Imagine that you have not understood a concept your classmates have no difficulty with. You asked for an explanation once but you still didn't get it. What would you do?
a. Try to understand it yourself. [ ]
b. Ask the teacher to clarify again after class. [✓]
c. Learn it from your friends. [ ]
Think about how we sometimes make decisions based on how we are feeling - embarrassed, nervous or awkward in a situation, and if our responses at the time benefit us in the long run.
= We react according to the situation we belong at that particular moment. Sometimes the particular reaction benefits us in the long run. Sometimes they teach us to learn a new lesson. We become successful or we learn.
About the Author :
A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (1931-2015), born in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu, was a scientist and a politician who played an important role in leading Indian nuclear research programs. Kalam studied aeronautical engineering, and was the Project Director of SLV-III, India's first satellite launch vehicle, at the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). In 1992, he moved into politics, with a vision of using technology to drive the development of the country. He served as the President of India from 2002 to 2007. Kalam wrote several famous books - India 2020, Ignited Minds, Wings of Fire and Turning Points.