To Sir, With Love!

“The time has come for closing books and long last looks must end

And as I leave I know that I am leaving my best friend

A friend who taught me right from wrong and weak from strong

That's a lot to learn, but what can I give you in return?

If you wanted the moon

I would try to make a start

But I would rather you let me give my heart

                                                                                    `To Sir, With Love'”

Last Year, when our academic director mentioned that I have to teach the ninth graders, the novel – To Sir, With Love, I was really excited, mainly because I had learnt a chapter of this novel in my eighth grade! I thought I could relive my experience! 

I would never forget Ms. Caroline who taught me that chapter, for the way she taught. She just lived as Mr. Thackeray, the teacher who appears in the novel. Even now, I can visualize the way she taught it and her expressions that captivated me! 

This year, I teach it to the ninth and tenth graders! But, more than teaching, it is ‘movie watching’now.  The novel was made into a movie (1967) with the same name! But anyway, it is definitely worth watching. It is a heart warming film that makes your heart filled with emotions. I guess I have watched it more than a dozen times, with my students, but every time I watch it, I watch it as if I were watching it for the first time.. May be because, I too am a teacher! 

It is the story of a young black man,Mr.Thackeray, who is an engineer, joining a school to teach, when he does not get a job in his stream of study. The school he joins is the school that is run for the kids who are not so privileged. They are kids who work in the evenings and come to school in the mornings despite many financial and personal problems. They definitely do not lead a life of luxury. In short, the school is run for such unattended kids, who are rough, indecent and unruly. He tries hard to bring in a new approach among the kids. Though it was very difficult to bring them to his track, he wins their hearts at last. It is such a touching novel/movie for any teacher. 

Like an icing to the cake, the last scene offers you a wonderful song sung in praise of the teacher! Once you hear it, you may never forget those lines – it is so powerful that you may tend to hum it very often!