ANONYMOUS ENGLISH POEM - 1

Dear Teacher

Dear Teacher

Try to be a human being,

Not just a teaching machine.

Do not teach only a subject

But rather teach us life.

Let me feel that you are interested in me as a human being

Not just a number in your books.

Do not judge me only by the marks I get in my tests

But rather by the efforts I make

Do not expect of me what is beyond my talent or power

And give me encouragement from time to time.

Do not expect me to think of school and

Studies as the greatest pleasures of life.

They are not, at least for me.

Do not expect me to like most of the subjects you teach,

Other subjects may be interesting too and

Perhaps even more so at least for me

Help me to learn to think and to judge for myself,

Not just, memorise ready-made answers.

Help me rather to find the answers myself

Though this may be painful for both of us.

Listen to the questions I may seriously ask,

However foolish they may sound to you.

If you can listen,

I might learn to listen too.

Be strict enough with me provided you are just.

I know that I need it though outwardly I may

Rebel against it.

Do not ridicule me, especially not before my

Classmates – it hurts.

It will turn me against you.

One earnest but kind word in private will be more effective.

Do not pity me, especially not in front of others.

If I don’t succeed so well, pity can be, so embarrassing.

Do not point out another student in class as

An example to me.

I might hate her and you.

And if I should happen to do well, don’t point

Me out as an example to others.

It would embarrass me very much.

  But an occasional deserved acknowledgement is most welcome.

Remember that once upon a time you were a

Student yourself.

Did you always get the best marks?

And did you not forget a thing?

Please keep studying yourself

And do not mechanically use in class

The same yellow notes

Which you wrote some twenty years ago.

Do not expect a word of thank you ever so often.

I am grateful but I find it difficult to express my gratitude in words.

And so .... thank you ever so much.

Yours loving student.