Respected faculty members,
I welcome you all for the academic year 2021-2022. Your mission is all the
more challenging this academic year. In the first place, it is to make our students
sit for five hours in the classroom and then to make them concentrate in studies.
But you have seen enough storms in tea-cups. All we need is to put on an extra
dose of courage and confidence. The management comes along with you in
your noble journey of moulding the young minds. They would form a new
normal world.
Yours is a noble mission. St Ignatius would consider education as the
transforming power and the teacher as the cornerstone of the social edifice and
the architect of each student. He would take care of what would be conducive
for the best education of the students. The teacher could implant in the students,
among many other virtues, the following:
i. To be open to change and get acclimatized to new environment: St
Ignatius and his first companions were not initially planning on starting
schools nor colleges. But when they realized the need they went out whole
heartedly into education and excelled in it. St Ignatius is often shown with
one foot raised and ahead of others indicating that the Jesuits should be
ready to step forward, away from where they currently are. This is
applicable to you as well, as you are the partners in mission of the Jesuits.
ii. Change in life is inevitable – Be prepared to embrace change for the
better: St Ignatius was a soldier but he underwent a change. Though he was
born in a feudal lord’s family, he chose the life as a poor pilgrim and later
he dedicated his life to serve the people at the margin of the society. Covid-
19 has changed us lot, our concept and perception, but we need to get back
to our normal life.
iii. Live with gratitude and optimism all through your life: St Ignatius
recommended the Jesuits to examine oneself twice a day: First, to thank
God and others, with gratitude, for all the graces and helps received; and
second, to resolve to serve others ever better. In a fast-paced world, St
Ignatius recommends periodic pause to reflect and respond to the needs out
there.
iv. Seek God in all things: It can be easy to get bogged down in the hectic
busyness of a day. Many people speak of finding God in all things, but we
need to think instead of “seeking” rather than “finding” God in all things.
Although that may not always be natural or comfortable, it is always
rewarding. And it helps us feel connected to God and to those around me.
(https://catholicreview.org/favorite-lessons-from-st-ignatius-of-loyola/).
The summum bonum, that is, the essence or the hall mark of Jesuit education is:
Unity of heart, mind, and hand. In other words, a kind heart, an open mind, and
a strong purpose to work together as a personal and communal triumvirate. All
three are essential and fundamental to becoming one’s strongest self and to
creating a community of unity and harmony. As teachers we are here to realize
that with our students. We start with understanding the students; and we make
progress accepting them, till we accomplish forming them as unique leaders
with social concern and commitment.
As we begin the new academic year, we could ask ourselves a couple of
questions: Alexander, the Great, said of his teacher Aristotle, “I am indebted to
my father for living, but to my teacher for living well”. Will any of our students
say of us in the near future or along the corridor of time? We could, further, ask
ourselves, at the end of the day, the following questions:
What new ideas have I tried in my classroom today to keep myself energized
about teaching?
Do I believe that I can still learn new things or methods about my teaching
my subject areas?
What am I excited about when looking ahead to the next teaching day?
Asking these questions often and every day would keep us enthusiastic,
energized, and engaged in our teaching as our life-mission. On the ‘Teachers
Day’ in 2013, Dr Abdul Kalam, who was then the President of India, said: “If
the people remember me as a good teacher, that will be the biggest honour for
me”. Could we echo the words of Dr Abdul Kalam in our teaching vocation?
I would share with you the following three guidelines for this academic year:
We need patience coupled with perseverance – Our hard work would pay the
expected dividend;
Let us accompany our students towards the goal of achievements; and
The journey towards achievement for us and for our students begins with our
understanding our students, one-by-one and by building meaningful and
effective relationships.
Let us begin today – better late than never. Let us march forward with the
singularity of mind towards our goal, namely, academic excellence and
character formation of our students. We, the Jesuits, are there to walk with you
the extra mile when you need. As we count on you, you could also count on us.
Let us begin, begin together, and move on as one column. All the best.