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Lucky to teach in Bhutan

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Western or foreign students in movies and books are interesting. Movies like Dangerous Minds, Coach Carter , and books like To Sir with Love or The Water is Wide  portray students who are challenging. These stories are about ordinary teachers who love their job. Imagining these movies and books I cannot help but feel lucky to be teach my students.  I feel lucky to have students who are genuine in their effort to learn.  I am thankful to have students who put up with me during hot sweaty Punakha afternoons.  I am proud to have students who work hard to do their best. I am thankful to have students who are genuine in the respect and I am grateful for the friendship we share. Though I share jokes with them, they know that there is a line between us which we should respect.  My classroom is safe because there are no guns or knives. Students are not high or intoxicated. And they listen to me when I reason with them. They challenge me and the book when it is required but do it
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Exam Hour

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It is a beautiful day. The sun is shining. The birds are chirping. The sun’s ray flicker on the leaves as they rustle in the gentle breeze that gushes softly from the river below. Inside the class, the fans swing their hands slicing the air like warriors in a heated battle. The fans’ rotating sound is disturbing. Other than the soft flipping of the pages, falling pencils and pens and a little cough here and there, nothing is heard in the room. A pin dropping on the floor can be heard. Naïve but stern faces over papers are a spectacle to observe as each individual face has a story to tell.   First, there are the ‘no-nothing’ faces that are the easiest to spot in the group. It is amusing to watch them as they sweat and scratch their heads as if doing that will make the answers fall out of their jammed heads. Their eyes linger in mid-air thinking about what they should write just for the sake of not leaving the answer scripts blank. But at the same time, it is painful to watch th
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On a Morning Assembly Speech.

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In any venture in life there has to be something to fuel one’s persistence and dedication in following the goals that are to be realized. The morning assembly speech by one of my students did exactly that. Over the years as a teacher I have heard numerous speeches on various topics but never have I been more inspired to continue on my journey as a teacher. The topic of the speech as posted earlier was, ‘the best source we have to make our tomorrow bright, are our teachers’. I would like to thank this boy for his kind words. That particular morning was an enlightening moment for me as a teacher. In a time when the quality of education is questioned and criticism burdens heavy on every teacher’s shoulder, the words of the boy was like the fresh spring showers in a season of drought. In the hard work of his principal the boy came to appreciate and believe in the essence and reward of working hard.    In the sacrifice of his warden the boy realized the joy of dedicat
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