A teacher's expectations of his student

Dear Student,

My first expectation from you is nothing more demanding than that, at least you must be in a frame of mind to learn as much as you can in the forty minutes, our shared asset. Overflowing with enthusiasm, I enter the class and find you and your classmates busy raising a racket. More insolent are some students like you who, despite noticing me from the corner of their eyes, continue their chatter. Though I shout at my highest decibels to get your attention, my voice is drowned in the clamour you raise. I knowingly ignore many indisciplinary transgressions of yours to use my time to make a difference in your life, but your insularity to instruction dispels all my effort and energy.

My second expectation from you is to be punctual and regular in your school routine. Being regular in your class attendance and in submitting your assignments shows how disciplined you are, and you know, discipline more than industry contributes to your success. I know your generation doesn't like to be dictated to, but my dear student, a teacher desires nothing but your success.

My third expectation from you is that you will attend school well-groomed. A washed face and well-kept hair reflect your grooming and preparation for the future. Similarly, a neatly knotted tie, a well-ironed uniform and sleekly polished shoes show your respect for the institution and learning. You must be self-sufficient with your own bag, books, notebooks and stationery. These are all requirements of your love for learning.

My fourth expectation from you is that you must follow school discipline. To walk soberly in the corridors and speak decently to respect the ongoing classes is required of the respect you hold for the institute. To cause damage to the school infrastructure, i.e., walls, chairs, desks and gardens, is vandalism. You do graffiti on school walls and gates in your terminal year at the school, particularly after the farewell, when you don't fear any retribution: it shows how ungrateful you are to your alma mater. Such reckless acts of yours make me regret the failure and futility of the years of my teaching and advice to you. I want to nurture fond memories of your stay at school; hence, you must comport yourself accordingly.

My fifth expectation from you is that you must act so considerately that if you don't learn from a teacher, you never generalise that nobody learns. You should talk to me if you have any problem in making out what I teach instead of being a nuisance and fidgeting around in the classroom. Fidgeting is a compensatory mechanism – a damage control in case our ego is bruised – to get attention. 'Make improvements, not excuses. Seek respect, not attention.'

The sixth on the list is that you will never resort to unfair means in your studies. Cheating fills the vacuum created by the absence of diligence. Being addicted to quick fixes, you don't have a disposition for sustained hard work. Your achievements through unfair means delude me into thinking that you are getting along well in your studies. Your reliance on shortcuts makes you prone to committing corruption in the future without feeling any qualms of conscience. Growth happens when you choose discomfort over avoidance.

My seventh expectation from you, my dear student, is that you will not do anything disgraceful to me. Your behaviour outside the school gate reflects the durability of my instruction imparted to you. Your reckless behaviour on the road while you are still in your student attire – violating traffic signals, doing wheelies, and harassing girl riders – earns nothing but obloquy for both of us. Your incivility in public places might demotivate the people around you from seeking education. There must be some difference between the schooled (you epitomise) and the unschooled. Remember, you are an advertisement for publicising my efforts.

You are not a passive product of your circumstances, so you excuse your misconduct on me. You belong to a generation that thinks itself more intelligent and resourceful than us. Then, why don't you use your discretion to present yourself as a responsible torchbearer of social civility?