Widened eyes, startled mouth. Surprised shriek, "you teach?" Stunned silence. "I teach," i say candidly. Next quizzical question, "they listen to you?" Wonderstruck eyeballs still gaze in disbelief. Without being pompous, i try to diplomatically wiggle out of the situation, " they're very sweet kids...they at least pretend to listen." A rather premeditated remark invariably follows, "oh who wouldn't, with a pretty face like that teaching them." That's when my brain squirms a little, feels like it is floating in a strange yellow gravy and wants to spew some out right at the remark-er. A new one cropped up recently..."What do you wear to work?" ( trust a delhite to come up with that.) If i had an outrageously bold style of dressing that might have been an interesting question. But alas! I'm still waiting for that one person to NOT say to me within the first five mins, in a smug voice, 'OOooh! hot professor!'Why discount the brain completely?
What is so incredulous about a 23 year old female adult teaching in a college? She may be just a couple of years older than her oldest student. She may also be just a novice at the job (the students dont have to know that!). She may..may, also have a pretty face (apparently). But why the surprise, incredulity, disbelief, smirking laugh in head? Its no cake walk trying to get the attention of 70 odd twenty somethings to think seriously about poetry. Its even worse trying to get 100 of them collectively excited to read and comprehend a newspaper clipping. Its a mammoth task to coax ten students to write a letter, review, something, anything.
I returned to college after a two month hiatus. Life sped past me in the two months, but the classrooms, tables, blackboards, staff room and students still remain. As i stepped into a college building stirring with restltess, young energy, buzzing with carefree banter, i felt a gush of happiness. As i stepped foot into the entrance lobby, the guard did a half bow and a swish of a salaam and bellowed 'hello madam.' Walking up the stair case, i was momentarily stunned with the cheery 'goodmorning maam,' from beaming students.
Maam?
Yes its time to switch roles again. Its time to change the shoes and take a bow. The relieved faces of my third years, the playful, pleading, naughty glances of my first years(maam please, free lecture!) and the lovely, comforting, disarming loud hellos and hi's of my second years. To me, it felt like a home coming of sorts. I'm glad to be taken back. Rather eagerly...
A fun term
A great fun term
A meaningful great fun term
A planned meaningful great fun term
I'm adamant about making it happen. I'm adamant about making a lot of things happen. I'm adamant about being adamant. You know when they like you. They know when they like you, why they like. They know when you dont know jack shit. They know when you churn bullshit.
So watch out!
They listen to me when i make sense. I know i dont make sense when i listen to the sounds of a muffled unrest slowly brewing....and rising.
And i switch hats once again...it helps hide the hair that the storm had ruffled.
