Abhishek Bachchan visited his old school a few years ago. I believe that like a little excited schoolboy he went from class to class, explored every nook and cranny of his former alma mater, smiled at all the present students, and good morning ma’med every teacher he met. While he was leaving, Abhishek was asked as to who was his favourite teacher. “Why Ms. Emma of course,” he said.
Ah Ms. Emma, what was it you did that made this hero of the celluloid world so fond of you?
What makes a teacher a favourite among students?
Her prettiness, her dress sense, her voice?
No, I don’t think that a child coming in to school in the morning is too bothered as to what his or her teacher is wearing or whether she has put on this perfume or that. I don’t think any student looks at his teachers dress and says ‘wow what a pretty dress, teacher is wearing, I am going to have a nice day!”
It takes more than that to be called a favourite teacher.
Ms. Emma, I am sure had more qualities than a lovely voice and a dress sense.
She must have had kindness and compassion.
Kindness and compassion. That is what every boy and girl looks for as each morning they leave the safe and secure portal of their home and enter the formidable walls of learning. School is a place where youngsters never go too willingly, unless nerds they be. And then after entering those sentinel walls to be faced by fierce and ferocious teacher is that which makes them hate walking through the gates of knowledge.
The face of knowledge doesn’t have to be that of a dragon.
The imparter of learning should be an angel.
I remember Ms. Bailey and have mentioned her in my book, DARE. God bless her soul. She was an English woman, who had left home and hearth and come to India to teach us the rudiments of grammar and science and a little bit of world history. She taught me in the third standard. Decades have passed but even till date I can see her smiling warm face, greeting the class every day and taking us by the hand through the maze and jungle of learning.
When I think of school, I think of Ms. Bailey, just as Abhishek, when he went back to school thought lovingly of Ms. Emma.
Thank you Ms. Bailey. Thank you Ms. Emma! May your tribe increase.
I know it was ‘Teachers Day’ two days ago, but do we require a special day to write about them? I thought not..!

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