My Journey as a Teacher

HAPPY TEACHERS DAY

“If a country is to be corruption free and become a nation of beautiful minds, I strongly feel there are three key societal members who can make a difference. They are the father, the mother and THE TEACHER.” – Dr APJ Abdul Kalam

Extending this thought process, teaching is a a very noble profession that shapes the character, caliber, and future of an individual. If people remember a good teacher, it is considered a huge honour for them. And that’s true of most professions.

Kodagu’s women teachers were the pride of the land that shaped the discipline, work ethic, cleanliness and the character of their area of influence. In the past, every school was blessed with Kodavathi teachers making a significant contribution. Consequently, the community was deeply involved in the school and its activities. It is also common knowledge that most Government Schools are built on land donated by Kodava families. Sadly this tradition has been on the wane and very few teachers in government schools today are from the Kodava community.

A few years ago we met an exceptional lady Ratna Chermanna who setup Ankur Public School with unstinted support from her husband Raja. Setting up a school of this scale was not an easy task for them. They had to face many challenges, more aptly described as battles. APS attains its eminence owing to the collective actions, thoughts and aspirations of Raja and Ratna Chermanna. It is a source of great pride that their school has completed 25 glorious years.

During our conversations it transpired that any attempt to capture her journey other than in her own words would rob the intensity of the experience. The article that follows is in Ratna’s own words – a truly exceptional journey, moving from strength to strength.

Education is a subject matter that CLN writes about regularly https://clnews.in/2024/09/09/a-historical-perspective-to-education-in-kodagu-19th-20th-century/

– CLN Newsdesk

I thank CLN for inviting me to write about my journey as a teacher and educationist, and for giving me the opportunity to share my experiences.

It gives me immense pleasure to pen my journey as a teacher – a profession I embraced by choice and one that has remained my greatest passion.

Even during my school days, I eagerly accepted every opportunity to teach my juniors and classmates. My love for mentoring continued through college, where I served not only as a student but also as a coach for my junior sports teams.

These experiences strengthened my belief that teaching is not merely a profession but a calling.

After completing my Diploma in Computer Science, I began my career as a Computer Trainer, conducting classes after my regular sessions. Upon completing the three-year diploma, I continued with computer education in institutions across Coorg.

Marriage did not interrupt my journey. With the unwavering support of my husband, in-laws, and family, I continued training young minds in my locality. I also undertook computer education projects for several schools and had the privilege of working on government projects under Aptech Computer Education.

As I interacted with children and parents, I realized that the conventional education system was not adequately preparing students to compete with their peers in metropolitan cities. This realization inspired me to explore innovative methods of teaching. In an era without social media, I travelled extensively, met educationists, and read books to understand progressive educational practices.

Driven by this vision, I converted my residence into a Play Home in 1997 – the first of its kind in Napoklu. Initially, convincing parents to accept this new approach was challenging. Instead of beginning with the alphabet, I introduced children to phonetic sounds. Instead of repetitive writing, I focused on developing motor skills through lines and curves. Adapting to this new methodology was a learning process for me as well. Gradually, parents appreciated the Play Way method, and their encouragement inspired me to establish a Montessori Kindergarten.

This journey was not without obstacles. Competition from other institutions even resulted in legal challenges. However, with the unwavering support of my family, we persevered. Although we initially started a State Board school, our vision was always to provide quality education through the CBSE curriculum.

After extensive discussions with educationists, I became convinced that CBSE offered the best opportunities for holistic learning. The process of obtaining affiliation was long and demanding. Countless visits to government offices in Madikeri, multiple inspections, and extensive documentation tested our determination. The greatest challenge was obtaining the No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Karnataka State Education Department. By God’s grace and with persistent effort, we received the NOC, paving the way for CBSE affiliation.

Further inspections followed, and the officials appreciated our vision of establishing a CBSE school in a remote rural area, believing it would transform educational opportunities for village children. Despite continuous opposition from competitors, we remained steadfast. Finally, our school received CBSE affiliation from New Delhi.

I started the school with just three students and then it grew steadily, it has since grown into a thriving centre of learning.

What began as a small school with just three students in a rented building gradually grew into a full-fledged CBSE institution in its own campus, in 2001. Every milestone came with new challenges.

Although we initially received affiliation up to Class VIII, our first batch of Class IX students faced uncertainty regarding Board recognition. After persistent representations, we secured affiliation for Classes IX and X, ensuring that our students could confidently appear for their Board examinations.

Building a committed and skilled teaching team was another challenge. Yet, our belief that sincere efforts always bear fruit kept us moving forward. Today, our alumni have established themselves successfully in diverse fields, proving the strong foundation they received at our institution. Currently we have 400 students studing in our School.

Over the years, we have embraced every educational reform introduced by CBSE while giving equal importance to academics, technology, sports, arts, and life skills. Our students have been selected for Sports Hostels, Navodaya Vidyalayas, and Sainik Schools. They have also excelled in music, art and debate.

Students are also introduced and encouraged to participate in native cultural activities, helping them understand and appreciate their cultural heritage of Kodagu.

Children are also taught to protect Kodagu’s fragile environment and play their part in keeping Coorg clean.

As our students are from agricultural backgrounds and so that they can retain practical knowledge of farming, we conduct rice transplantation activities, giving them an opportunity to learn and experience the process firsthand. 

To nurture leadership, emotional intelligence, and social responsibility, we established a Leo Club in association with the Lions Club of Napoklu. Students are also provided opportunities to develop self-defence skills, mathematical aptitude, and overall personality.

My journey extends beyond the classroom. I have had the honour of serving as a member of Lions Clubs International with a commitment to community service. I also serve as one of the six Directors of the Ponnad Farmers Producer Organisation (FPO), which has received several prestigious recognitions, including the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Award and the National Marketing Award from the Ministry of Agriculture.

Personally, I have been humbled to receive several honours, including the APJ Abdul Kalam Transforming Teacher Award, the Women Farmers Award from Krishi Jagran, Delhi, the Champion Award from Lions International, the Marketing Winners Trophy on behalf of Ponnad Farmers Producer Organisation, the High Visionary Educationist Award from Kodava Samaj, Napoklu, and the Best Sportsperson Award from Teresian College during my student days.

Sports has always been an integral part of my life. I proudly represented Mysore University in Basketball and was part of the School and University team in Hockey, experiences that shaped my discipline, teamwork, and leadership.

Today, as I reflect on twenty-five years of service, I realise that this journey is far more than a number. It is a story of dreams, perseverance, sacrifices, challenges, transformation, and countless young lives touched through education.

Teaching has never been just my profession – it has been my life’s mission. My greatest reward is not the awards I have received but the success, confidence, and values reflected in every child who has walked through the doors of our school.

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