A feature article I read recently got me thinking about what kind of relationship a teacher is supposed to have with students. The article featured local artists talking about their favorite and not so favorite teachers when they were still in school.

What they said about their favorites, I will not dwell on. What made interesting reading was what they said about those who made their lives hell. Those were the teachers who were given names. They were dreaded and just a sneeze from them was enough to stop you dead in your tracks.

Although the musicians are not from Rwanda and did not go to the same schools that I attended, I could identify with what they were saying. There were teachers who made me not look forward to going to school in the morning.

I particularly remember one in primary school who would make you kneel outside class for the rest of the lesson if you gave a wrong answer. He had these long nails which he would use to pinch you before closing the door behind you.

You can imagine the humiliation one would suffer when other teachers and pupils saw you kneeling out there. They would naturally think that you had been up to some mischief yet all you had done was respond to a teacher’s question.

I could talk about two or three high school teachers but one takes the prize. Yawning was a crime in her class. You heard me right.  I once got kicked out of class when she caught me yawning.

She interpreted my yawning as a rude expression of boredom. So she assumed that I would not miss much if I spent her two-hour lesson outside. I was first made to kneel beside my desk for a few minutes with my hands up. It was such a tiring exercise.

After this, the other students learned to stifle their yawns. We were also not supposed to fidget. We were expected to sit quietly and not open desks or noisily turn pages.

But I must give credit where it’s due. She had a gift of teaching and I loved her lesson although this was overshadowed by the military tactics she employed while dealing with us.

We were all frightened of her and even when we failed to understand, nobody dared ask a question. It was that bad.
Is this the relationship young people are supposed to have with their teachers?

A student who is punished or criticized for giving a wrong answer will not dare answer another question. A teacher should be someone a student can confidently approach, knowing s/he is going to get assistance not rebuke.

Teachers are supposed to be role models. After all, they are the ones who get the second opportunity to mould young people after they leave the comfort of their homes and start going to school.

They are supposed to be people who young people admire, people they look up to and dream of being like one day. They are also the ones who can create a conducive atmosphere for learning, an atmosphere that allows students to express themselves, to speak their mind and not be rebuked as long as what is said is not disrespectful.

I have a friend whose little boy cries to be allowed to go to school even when he is sick, not because he is crazy about school but because he says his teacher will beat him if he misses school. When he gets well, he insists his mother accompany him to prevent his teacher from beating him.

I do not think this is flattering at all. If you asked this boy what he would want to be in future, I bet his answer would not be a teacher. However, a coin always has two sides. There are teachers who make school a joy.

Each school has at least one. We certainly had ours. One of the things I learned from him was that it is possible for a teacher and the students to have a friendly relationship. Am sure there are many more out there.

Sometimes you can get results by using force. It is why you will find students doing well in subjects taught by harsh and extremely strict teachers. 

Ends