It was 12:00 pm when the morning section of our class finished. All students, apart from I and my friend, Ko HMH, of our group (A) saying "good bye" to the teacher left the classroom. Ms Catherine Lewis was still remaining sitting on her chair googling and surfing something on the internet. We both were also prepairing to leave the room soon. Before going out of the room, I said to Ms Catherine "Good bye, teacher".
I got a sudden reply from her. 'No No No, don't say "teacher", she said, lifting a card on which her name is written "CATHERINE" in all block letters. I was astonished and asked why. Her answer is very reasonable and logically acceptable to the academics. She commented as below:
"we all are students who are learning something from each other. There are many things to learn from you all. From each one, something can be learned. So, I prefer to be called "Catherine" but not "teacher".
This is one of incredible ideas of an open society, the West. So, what about in the Eastern part of the world? We, easterners, have our own ideals and criteria. Especially, we Buddhists grow up in the cradle of the Buddha's teachings. Since we are young, we are instructed to obey older persons. If an individual is even one-day older than us, we must not show any disregarded manners to him/her. We have some traditionally respected admonitions:
"Pay respect to the older, regard to counterparts and sympathize with the younger"
Besides, some Buddhist teachings just as "garavo ca nivato ca" meaning : the blessings of respect and modesty are ever reminding us to pay due respect to our elders, teachers and whoever is respected. In the Buddhist world, if a student calls his/her teacher's name, it implies that he/she is impolite and shows his/her disrespect to a teacher.
However, there are always advantages and disadvantages in all cases as ever. Eeven thoug in the sense of that paying respect to teachers, elders is a blessing is beautiful and lovely, in the other sense, particularly in the educational eviroment, it is unpromising. In the east, usually in the Buddhist world, any question coming from who does not understand what a teacher says is not welcome to a teacher or a lecturer. Moreover, some teachers show even their aversion or unsavouriness to the students. Studtents have to be remaining silent shutting up their mouths though they have some doubts on the teacher's lecture.
This is a hugely unwelcoming disadvantage. Students trained in the way of above mentioned gradually become stereotypings. In addition, when they come to the West, they happen to encounter what they have not expected before. I am not sure for others but for me it is absolutely true. I have now to try to open my mouth as much as I can to ask any questions, on which I have a doubt, to a teacher by adopting a new culture.
I come to know that sometimes some stereotypical teachings such as religious admonitions, though not all, can hinder and deter a student from progress and improvement in the study, especially in the western world where a student's learning or study is provided with all necessary facilities including the admittance of opening their inner mind-door to all atmospheres. This is, I realize, the figure or the result of a democracy for which we have been fighting for decades in our country, Myanmar. One day, I hope, when we possess this system in our hand, our Burmese society also become disclosed for everything. But when?
I got a sudden reply from her. 'No No No, don't say "teacher", she said, lifting a card on which her name is written "CATHERINE" in all block letters. I was astonished and asked why. Her answer is very reasonable and logically acceptable to the academics. She commented as below:
"we all are students who are learning something from each other. There are many things to learn from you all. From each one, something can be learned. So, I prefer to be called "Catherine" but not "teacher".
This is one of incredible ideas of an open society, the West. So, what about in the Eastern part of the world? We, easterners, have our own ideals and criteria. Especially, we Buddhists grow up in the cradle of the Buddha's teachings. Since we are young, we are instructed to obey older persons. If an individual is even one-day older than us, we must not show any disregarded manners to him/her. We have some traditionally respected admonitions:
"Pay respect to the older, regard to counterparts and sympathize with the younger"
Besides, some Buddhist teachings just as "garavo ca nivato ca" meaning : the blessings of respect and modesty are ever reminding us to pay due respect to our elders, teachers and whoever is respected. In the Buddhist world, if a student calls his/her teacher's name, it implies that he/she is impolite and shows his/her disrespect to a teacher.
However, there are always advantages and disadvantages in all cases as ever. Eeven thoug in the sense of that paying respect to teachers, elders is a blessing is beautiful and lovely, in the other sense, particularly in the educational eviroment, it is unpromising. In the east, usually in the Buddhist world, any question coming from who does not understand what a teacher says is not welcome to a teacher or a lecturer. Moreover, some teachers show even their aversion or unsavouriness to the students. Studtents have to be remaining silent shutting up their mouths though they have some doubts on the teacher's lecture.
This is a hugely unwelcoming disadvantage. Students trained in the way of above mentioned gradually become stereotypings. In addition, when they come to the West, they happen to encounter what they have not expected before. I am not sure for others but for me it is absolutely true. I have now to try to open my mouth as much as I can to ask any questions, on which I have a doubt, to a teacher by adopting a new culture.
I come to know that sometimes some stereotypical teachings such as religious admonitions, though not all, can hinder and deter a student from progress and improvement in the study, especially in the western world where a student's learning or study is provided with all necessary facilities including the admittance of opening their inner mind-door to all atmospheres. This is, I realize, the figure or the result of a democracy for which we have been fighting for decades in our country, Myanmar. One day, I hope, when we possess this system in our hand, our Burmese society also become disclosed for everything. But when?
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