The victory, the change and the training (Part 2)

Sitting on the bench near the dining hall, my mind went back to what happened in the past week. I recalled how I went back to my previous school on October 06 Teachers’ Day. My little ones were overjoyed to see me. From the moment I walked in, I was showered with flowers and cards. ‘We’ll be good children. Come back teacher’, ‘I can’t believe that you are in school today’ they wrote on their cards. Those sweet words brought tears to my eyes. How innocent they are!

Unfortunately, the school management decided that I should not interact with the children anymore as I was about to leave. I had no choice but to walk out of the school, with a heavy heart. But the excitement over the next training session kept me away from all those depressing thoughts. I had so many things to do, and a long list of things to pack within a short time. It helped me to forget what happened on that day.

Finally, it was the day to leave for the Peradeniya National College of Education. Ammi was more excited about the training. Coincidently, she had been on training too at that place for two years when I was in my mother’s womb.

Though I have not seen the place before, I am sure I felt and smelled the beauty of the place when I was still a developing baby. How wonderful that was! All throughout the journey to Kandy, I was busy describing the training as I heard from the previous training batch. “All those are exaggerated things, Jana”, dad refused to believe any of those but I never gave up.

When we reached the place, it was almost 4.45 p.m. and the registration committee was about to leave. I was the last one to register on that day, and until the last day, they remembered me as the one who registered last.

From the moment I stepped into the place, I had to battle with time. The first three days was not easy at all. Many times a day, I wished if I could go back home. I seriously thought that if teaching requires this type of training, I would rather not take it. Waking up early in the morning virtually killed me. Going to the dining hall for bed tea was another disaster. On the first day, I had to go up and down the dorm thrice as I forgot the numbered badge and the cup. Just after the morning tea, was the exercise session. God heard my prayers and gave us a little rain so we could skip the exercises.

Yet, luck was only for that day and from that day we had to exercise one hour in the morning and two hours in the evening. Though I hated it at the beginning, later I realised if I had known that all those techniques would have helped me teach my little brats at the previous school, I would have done some wonderful physical exercise periods with them. Pity, I couldn’t go back to them with the new knowledge I gained. “I miss you my children”, I murmured. We had various lecture sessions until evening every day. There were very important lessons we had to know as teachers. However, there were some lessons, which we did not like at all and did not have the faintest idea why we learned them.

From the bench, I could see my friends coming up the road. The road reminded me of the sports meet we had organised. Although our venue was the road, the sports meet was grand. We had almost all the events, which was common for a sports meet. Participants, like me, who had never done sports in their school life, got another opportunity to try out their skills.

Next was the aesthetic sessions that we had. They were the best out of all. Those teachers made us believe that we can actually dance, sing and draw. The cultural show, held on the eighth day, revealed the talents of all the participants. Many of us, including me, danced on a stage for the first time in their life.

All the science graduates showed that they also had an aesthetic side. It was a breathtaking evening. It was followed by an Art exhibition, which included the drawings of all the trainees. All the viewers were astonished to see participants’ hidden abilities.

I have fallen in love with this place. I feel more confident and stronger than the day I came here. I feel as if I was back in school. For those nine days, I was a student again. I participated in activities as I did in school, maybe a little more than that and I am happy for that. As a last note I should mention about the two masters who had to guide us all throughout. They were behind us day and night to see what we were doing. Sometimes we were annoyed for not giving us much freedom, however, if not for them we would not take the best out of this training period.

“Janani, stop dreaming now. Shall we go for the next session?” my friend’s impatient voice brought me back to life. With a little tear, I stood up. How I wished I could stay just one more week with all my friends in this place!

The victory, the change and the training

Sitting on a bench in front of the dining hall at the National College of Education, Peradeniya, I scanned the area to admire the beauty. Distant mountains clothed in green, soothed my puffy eyes. My legs, aching after exercises, restrained me from walking everywhere. Today, is my ninth fantastic day in this place. Though the place is calm and quiet, our hectic schedule did not give us at least a minute, to enjoy this stunning view.

My thoughts flew back in time, when my father texted me while I was in school. “Your letter has come,” I panicked for a moment. However, I assured myself, there is no chance that this letter to be the one I suspect.

I continued with my work. Again, in the bus on my way home the phone rang. “The letter has come. Did you see it?” From the other side of the line a friend queried. Trembling with a shock and fear, I hurried home. The more I got closer to the house the more I got agitated.

All warnings were right. Finally, the letter arrived informing me about the government teaching appointment I received. I expected it, but not early as this. Commencing the new job with three days’ notice was a challenge! If I were unemployed, I would be delighted. However, I am responsible for certain things: I cannot leave my little brats in school alone.

This was one reason for me to refuse, to receive the letter this soon. I knew the officials would not give me much time to give notice to my previous school. What should I tell them? Will I be able to console them? I did not have answers for any of my questions. No one had. However, parents insisted that I should take up this job. Everyone believed this was a rare opportunity. Yet, I was in a crisis.

The weekend was hectic. Running from one office to another, visiting heads of the departments in their houses, finally I convinced them to allow me to leave and I found a replacement too for my vacancy. By the following Monday, my friend assumed duties in my position and I in the new position.

Everyone was shocked as some were sad. Throughout the time, I missed my Year Five students. I could not believe that I did my last lesson for them on Friday. I badly wanted to go and do another lesson for them. I wanted to hug them and say how much I loved them. Everything changed within just a few hours. I had to be apart from the children.

When I visited the school later that day, I had hundreds of questions to answer from my little ones. I had to lie to keep them happy. “I’m on a training honey, I will be back in two weeks” They were happy. They counted two weeks to find the day when I would come back. I watched them with a little tear in the corner of my eye. “I love you a lot, I am going to miss every one of you,” I slowly murmured.

I had to undergo a pre-training session at one of the leading girls’ schools at Nugegoda, there I realised the value of being a teacher, and how honourable this job is. Children respected me even after knowing that I was just a trainee. Though I expected my life as a trainee to be a rough one, these little flowers seemed to enjoy my presence.

They were cooperative. When the feeling crept into my mind, as they are my children, it was the time for me to finish the training session. Unexpectedly receiving a rose on ‘Teachers’ day’ one day in advance, as I left the school before that day, attracted me more towards them. After all, I was just a visitor for them; still they were kind enough to make me a part of their family. I am enjoying life as a teacher. Being loved all the time is amazing.

Sitting in the classroom in that school on the last day of the training, I was astonished by the way, they begged, for me to stay back. Looking at their faces, I realised the pleading was no joke. They reminded me of my little ones I left at such short notice. For the first time, in my life I realised that even though the background of every child is different, they are all alike.