Beyond the Blackboard

“I don’t think it’s fair for me to write any examination. I’ve already passed my Senior Cambridge. I’m finished with studies, you know.”

     “What do you mean you’re finished with studies?” he asked taking me off guard. “Your studies now begin. Do you see that man up there?” he asked pointing to the Head Teacher. “He reached there because he studied. Do you want to live behind the blackboard all the days of your life? Don’t you have any ambition?”

     “Are you on his side?” I asked.

     “No Lake,” he disagreed shaking his head. “I’m on your side. You are a Pupil Teacher. That means that you’re not quite a teacher as yet. You’re just an apprentice.”

     “An apprentice!” I exclaimed. “Is that the reason why I don’t have my own class?” I questioned. I felt all along that I was given a raw deal, that I was a full-fledged teacher.

     “That’s it. You will, when the time comes. What I’m telling you now is that you will study for the exam, you will write it in July, and you will pass it. Don’t be afraid. You’ve already passed your Senior Cambridge. Get that?” Fred Roopram was so persuasive that my concern was changed into a smile.  

     “I didn’t know that this job involved studies. I thought everything was smooth sailing from now on,” I said.

     “Smooth sailing,” he repeated. “Nice words. No job is easy, Lake. Anything you do will involve some amount of studies, if you’re going to do it well. Do you remember that old adage, ‘Anything worth doing is worth doing well?’ I nodded. “Another thing,” he continued, “If you come here only to teach the same old thing every day, you’ll get bored. When you study, you learn new things, you understand how children learn, and you find so much fun in this same old job. Take my word.”

     “OK. I understand,” I said. I wanted to tell him how bored I was already, marking exercise books and grading papers daily. 

     “Lake, you now start this job. Don’t take it lightly like some teachers. They think this is a “sweet man” job, and they just palaver with it. It’s not smooth sailing. You’ll find it rough sometimes,” he cautioned.

     “I’m glad you warned me. I am not going to spend all my life behind the blackboard. I’ll go beyond that, beyond the blackboard,” I said.

     Roopram held me by the shoulders and said, “That’s the spirit, Lake. That’s what I like to hear. That’s what I like about you.”

     I was astounded by what he said about teaching. The more I thought of it, the more truth I found in his statements. I did not realize until then that teachers, too, had to study. No teacher was compelled to remain in the classroom throughout his career. There were promotional opportunities to administrative positions if they were suitably qualified. Lawyers, doctors, engineers, and other professionals continued to study, long and hard, to achieve their dream. They did courses to keep up with the current trend. Like them, I was required to study, and if I wanted to reach the top, there was more reason for me to study diligently.

   Roopram asked me to take over the class. This was my first opportunity to stand before the class and give instructions. It wasn’t like teaching a topic, but I instructed the pupils to write the words listed on the board and use them in sentences. Before returning to his class, Fred asked Wilfred to go up to the Head Teacher’s desk. In less than five minutes another teacher soon went up, then another, and anther. Just before the warning bell for dismissal, a teacher came up to me and said, “Go on. It’s your turn” As soon as I reached his desk Mr. Somwaru leaned back and said, “Well. You’ve earned your first month’s salary. You know how hard you worked for it. Make good use of it. Count it, and sign over here on the blank space in line with your name.”

    “Thank you, Sir,” I smiled. At three forty-five, I was already at home. Taking the money from my pocket with some amount of pride and joy I announced, “I got my pa