Jayekin’s “Say what you want” bloggy

A CUSTOMER IS THE MOST IMPORTANT VISITOR ON OUR PREMISES.

HE IS NOT DEPENDENT ON US. WE ARE DEPENDENT ON HIM.

HE IS NOT AN INTERRUPTION ON WORK, HE IS THE PURPOSE OF IT.

HE IS NOT AN OUTSIDER ON OUR BUSINESS, BUT HE IS A PART OF IT.

WE ARE NOT DOING HIM A FAVOUR BY SERVING HIM,

HE IS DOING A FAVOUR BY GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO.

                                                                         Mahatma Ghandi

I happened to glance upon these words while waiting for my dad to finish with his therapy. It got me thinking - what if I replace ‘customers’ with ‘pupils’? Wouldn’t that amount to the same thing?

I mean, as a Special Needs Officer, I work very closely with my pupils - setting goals, giving them challenging things to do - It may seem that they are dependent on us to challenge them or to teach them. But in actual fact, aren’t we the same? Don’t we need them to challenge ourselves - showcase our capabilities as Special Needs Officers - that we can diversify, differentiate lessons to accommodate to their needs?

If you really read each phrase carefully, isn’t it quite true? We only think of things in one perspective - Ghandi’s words have given us another.

I think his words are inspiring enough to make me really appreciate the work that I’m doing / have been doing and also to appreciate the efforts that my pupils have made.

Today was also another joyous occasion for me. I just found out from my pupils’ form teacher that one of my pupils passed his English and the other graduted from a ‘U’ grade to a ‘F’ grade…

I’d like to think that it was my effort - but I had barely begun lessons with them. I guess they were motivated and positive enough to try.. I’m very proud of them - both of them are the ones who give me inspiration to teach becos they really want to learn… When I read, they listen. When I stop, they ask questions. When they don’t understand, they ask. When they do not know, they are still willing to try and help each other.

Read the words by Ghandi.. Analyse each phrase. Think about the work that you do. Try and relate. Hopefully, you’ll be able to see what Ghandi wants you to see - just one more perspective…