“No one was expecting this from

Sister Marie but she was crying like

a mother cares for her child on

hearing of the severe bus accident.

She was the same principal who

punishes the students for their

mistakes & whom students hates

the most.”

Well generally, we all have this

same thought for our Teacher,

Principal or any of our Elder who

teaches us something. But the fact

in case of teachers are somewhat

like, “ they never display their true

emotions & yet what they display

are never their true kind of feel-

ings.”

Yes they do have a brittle image

but it’s only because of their rough

attitude towards us that we are

able to achieve even the impossi-

ble. School is known to be our

second home & so as a implied

result teachers are our second

caretakers, guardians & what not.

But however, if observed closely,

teacher is not only the person who

teaches you a subject. Teacher is

that every person you teach you a

lesson no matter good or bad,

which awakens you. A teacher’s

influence is just beyond the limits.

Teachers always occupy a different

place in the life of a person. How-

ever, from the past decades, the

definition of teacher is not limited

to some living body though it has

been extended even to virtual

teachers. Back to our childhood,

remembering our favorite teacher

will be recognized because they

had at least in one way or another

the qualities that we appreciate,

although we are not aware of it

during the time we are in school,

but teachers are well recognized at

a later time of our lives.

But, why it’s always happen that a

teacher in their primary years urges

to learn more about their students?

So its time to celebrate this

teacher’s day, in a different way

because guys it’s time to honor all

the teachers in your life irrespec-

tive of their ages. Eager to know

How? Lets read this edition!!

Genesis

They are nor your parents neither your guardians yet they took the full responsibility of your build-up because

they are ‘TEACHERS’. The same feelings is shared by Ms. Anjali Jain via her article “Teacher- The Second

Mother”. Teacher-Student’ relationship is the best blend of ‘queries & solution’ & well as we are entering the

modern era, the definition of teacher is not limited to just teacher-in-person. Ms. Aayushi Jain supports the

same thought via her article on “Reality to Virtuality”. A teacher is very special to his/her students. Ms.

Devangi Agrawal showing the gratitude towards her teachers has written a message for them “Letter to My

Teacher” which is special not just for her but will touch other hearts also. This September edition we are also

sharing with you all a very inspiring yet thoughtful letter written by the great US President Lincoln via

“Abraham Lincoln’s letter to his son’s teacher”. Well, there are some people who really outstand the expec-

tations & undertake teaching not as a profession but out of their noble thoughts. Ms. Harsha Ramnani is

sharing the stories of such noble people via write-up, “6 Most Inspiring Teachers of India & Their Uncon-

ventional Stories”. For the first time, we welcome & are happy to share with you the presence of our Guest

poet Ms. Pratibha Lalwani who has shared a beautiful poem on teachers. On this teachers day, let us open our

minds about the First Teacher of India- Savitribai Phule & feel grateful for ‘forever-freedom’ we are living

in. Keep Learning & Keep Reading !!

The First Acquaintances

September, 2016

Volume 1, Issue 7

Genesis 1

The First Acquaintances 1

Teacher-The Second

Mother

2

Reality to Virtuality 2

Letter to My Teacher 3

Abraham Lincoln’s Let-

ter to His Son’sTeacher

4

6 Most Inspiring Teach-

ers of India & Their

Unconventional Stories

5

GURU - Giving Unfor-

gettable Rich Utilities

6

'First Lady' Teacher of

India: Savitribai Phule

7

Inside this issue:

Thinker’s Voice

Good teachers don't just improve your grades. They change your per-

spectives, leaving a lasting impression

on your life.

ONE STEP HIGHER A POWER WITHIN!!

Page 2 Volume 1, I ssue 7

Guru-Govind Dou Khade Kake

Lagu Paye

Mother a word is itself a word which directly related to the supreme power for anyone in the world. A mother is one who guides the child on each and every step of his life. She is the one who sacrifices each and everything for the children and her motive or you can say the career goal, is always and always related to the upbringing, education, success and the happy life of the children. She teaches the basic principles of life, moral values, and code of conduct to the children. She is al-ways compared to the goddess of the earth. It is said that the mother is the one who can never be-come selfish whenever the point get raised related to the children.

The other mother on the earth is GURU, there is a very good couplet we say in Hindi- “Guru Go-vind Dono Khade, Khake lage pau, balihari guru aapne govind diyo bataye” . It means

that if God and Teacher both are standing we should touch the feet of the Teacher first as the teacher has shown the path to meet the supreme power. The teacher is like a second mother to the children, as the mother teaches the moral values, and when the child move to the school, teachers are wholly and solely responsible for the overall grooming which never define the specific area. The teacher guide according to his need or desire, no matter being its profession guidance or personal she is always there to support. As a role model, she inspires to dream and to work and to reach. With her kindness she gets the attention and every day she tries to planting a seed of curiosity and motivation to grow so that he can become a finished gemstone. For a child, mother is everything but in the same breath they always look up to a teacher who is like a super hero with the some super power which no one has except her. She comes into the child’s life and make him see the sun where he once saw clouds. The one that believes in him so much, that he starts believing in himself too. The one that loves the child, simply for being the way he is and by all these efforts a teacher become a permanent inspiration and admiration in the child’s heart for the lifetime. That’s why a teacher is a mother, as she did not give you birth but make a value of this birth.

Teacher- The Second Mother!!

From Reality to Virtuality

Teachers enlighten students and shape their career. The day September 5 marks as a day of gratitude and respect

to the selfless efforts of the teachers. This day is also celebrated to honour Late Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, the

great teacher, academic philosopher and India's Second President as he was born on the same day in 1888. De-

spite of second president birthday, the reason is quite different behind celebration. It all started back to 1965

when some of the prominent students of Late Dr S. Radhakrishnan organised a gathering to pay obeisance to

that Great Teacher of repute. In that gathering, Dr Radhakrishnan expressed his deep reservation regarding his

birth anniversary celebration in his speech, and emphasised that his birth anniversary should be celebrated as

'Teachers' Day', by paying homage to other Great Teachers of India and Bangladesh. Since the year 1967, 5th

September is celebrated as Teachers' Day till date. A good teacher is assertive, friendly, wise, compassionate and

firm. A teacher has high hopes for a student and guides his/her academic life like a parent. If a society is to pro-

gress, teachers must always be two steps ahead of time. They need to understand changes happening across the

world and prepare the new generation accordingly by arousing curiosity in them. From times unmemorable, in

India, teaching is considered as a noble and sacred profession. It is one of the most rewarding and exciting pro-

fessions in the world. As of now, that we have entered into a modern generation, teaching is no longer restricted

to classrooms as internet has also gained pace in teaching field. You don’t know what are the latest tax updates,

you’ll Google it and learn; you don’t know how to put a hyperlink in a word document, you’ll simply learn it

from Google; you want to cook a new recipe, you’ll simply ask Google for it. These are some examples for which

you access internet on a regular basis. No one can deny the fact that we learn so many things from internet every

day. It is also playing the role of a teacher for us. Internet has also given us distance learning, online coaching

classes, YouTube classes and what not to facilitate us in our studies. You don’t need to go anywhere or to anyone

to study, rather you simply need to type in the search dialog box and guess what’s the amazing thing? You’ll get

more options than what a million dollar question of KBC offers. All the answers for your queries are in front of

you in manifold pages. However, it is also justified that internet can never replace classroom teachings as you

will always learn better through face to face lessons rather than simply reading anything on your computer or

mobile screens because “Face is a picture of the mind, with the eyes as it’s analyst”. Though internet has emerged to be a

great teacher for all of us, we still need a professional teacher to guide us and make us learn things better.

ONE STEP HIGHER

A Power Within!! Volume 1, I ssue 7

Page 3 Volume 1, I ssue 7 ONE STEP HIGHER

A Power Within!!

Dear Teacher,

It’s true that my parents have brought me up very well but no one can deny the fact that you are the one

who has made me a better person today. You have often been the first person I’ve seen in the mornings.

I’ve spent more time in your classrooms than with my family.

At first, I hated you for scolding me to behave properly. I hated you for screaming on me when I used to

doze off in your class. I hated you for not accepting my work until it’s the best I could do. I hated you for

not telling me from where to collect material for my assignment as it took a lot of my efforts which I was

reluctant to do and I hated you when you used to ask me questions randomly leaving me numb. What I

didn’t realise was these were the steps which you were taking to transform me into a better person.

I remember the days when I used to make so much of noise along with my friends in your class, causing

enough trouble for you to teach but you never lost your temper despite you always used your brilliant tac-

tics to keep us quiet. I deeply thank you from the core of my heart for all your efforts that you made for

me. I would not be the person that I am today if you were not there.

I thank you for never letting me loose hopes from life. I remember whenever I used to feel incompetent

about myself to do anything; you always encouraged me and taught me to believe in myself and to never

give up in life. When I flunked one of my subjects, you used to stay in the classroom to teach me and to

make me learn and perform the best that I could do. I still remember the glee in your eyes when I told you

that I had topped my class.

I thank you for standing in the class for such long durations to teach us in a better manner. I thank you

for taking the time to review my assignments and for giving me real and honest feedbacks. I thank you for

being so motivated, even when we have shown little or no interest in lectures by sleeping, texting, or talk-

ing, or speaking slanderous words behind your back. It takes guts to do that, and I’m sure we don’t realize

or acknowledge how much you have to sacrifice of yourself in order to teach us.

I know that it hurts you at times to give your students low grades because you believe in their potential to

truly learn, but at the same time you also know that this is the way that can motivate them to work harder

next time.

I thank you for allowing me to learn from my own mistakes. I feel proud to become one of your students.

As of now that I’ve entered the real world, I’m able to step out of all the problems that I face at times,

remembering all that you’ve taught me, for which I will stay forever grateful to you.

I remember one day when the principal asked me what should be improved in your teacher and all I could

answer was ‘Nothing! My teacher is the one who improves us.’

I appreciate you for all that you have sacrificed. All my interactions with you have been the inspiration for

me and still motivate me for new phases in my life. As today is 5th of September, a day for my teacher, for

you, I, through this letter, honour you for your efforts and sacrifices.

No matter you still work as a teacher or not. For me you are the best!

Happy Teacher’s Day!

Yours,

Notorious Learner.

A Letter to My Teacher!!

The task of a mentor is not to

cut down jungles, but to

irrigate deserts.

Page 4 Volume 1, I ssue 7 ONE STEP HIGHER

A Power Within!!

Letters were means of communication in olden days and they were used for every type of communication even to convey the

love of a father, husband, teacher, student, mother, message of leader, rules of government or king etc. Abraham Lincoln

has also written many such letters being the president of USA but a letter which he wrote to his son’s teacher on his first day

of schooling in order to just send a gentle reminder of what he wants the teacher to teach his son so that he can be a good

person in the future is our current topic, the letter is really a thought provoking one with a wonderful meaning and message

in it. So, let’s read together to find what actually is expected from a teacher.

“Respected Teacher,

My son starts school today. It is all going to be strange and new to him for a while and I wish you

would treat him gently. It is an adventure that might take him across continents. All adventures

that probably include wars, tragedy and sorrow. To live this life will require faith, love and cour-

age.

So dear Teacher, will you please take him by his hand and teach him things he will have to know,

teaching him – but gently, if you can. Teach him that for every enemy, there is a friend. He will

have to know that all men are not just, that all men are not true. But teach him also that for every

scoundrel there is a hero, that for every crooked politician, there is a dedicated leader.

Teach him if you can that 10 cents earned is of far more value than a dollar found. In school,

teacher, it is far more honorable to fail than to cheat. Teach him to learn how to gracefully lose,

and enjoy winning when he does win.

Teach him to be gentle with people, tough with tough people. Steer him away from envy if you

can and teach him the secret of quiet laughter. Teach him if you can – how to laugh when he is

sad, teach him there is no shame in tears. Teach him there can be glory in failure and despair in

success. Teach him to scoff at cynics.

Teach him if you can the wonders of books, but also give time to ponder the extreme mystery of

birds in the sky, bees in the sun and flowers on a green hill. Teach him to have faith in his own

ideas, even if every one tell him they are wrong.

Try to give my son the strength not to follow the crowd when everyone else is doing it. Teach

him to listen to every one, but teach him also to filters all that he hears on a screen of truth and

take only the good that comes through.

Teach him to sell his talents and brains to the highest bidder but never to put a price tag on his

heart and soul. Let him have the courage to be impatient, let him have the patient to be brave.

Teach him to have sublime faith in himself, because then he will always have sublime faith in

mankind, in God.

This is the big order, teacher but see what best you can do. He is such a nice little boy and he is

my son.”

Abraham Lincoln’s Letter to His Son’sTeacher

Page 5 Volume 1, I ssue 7 ONE STEP HIGHER

A Power Within!!

6 Most Inspiring Teachers of India & Their Unconventional Stories As every year, the day to wish teachers is nearby. It is the occasion to remember teachers and applaud their contribution towards overall

development of the student. On the eve of Teachers' Day let us discuss some unforgettable teachers who left their imprints.

Here are five remarkable teachers from the Disney movies which have inspired us a lot:

1. Babar Ali - A teacher since he was 9-years-old :

Who says one should be old enough to teach? Not to Babar Ali! This 21-year-old has been teaching all his life. He

started teaching at the tender age of 9. I can't even think of what I was doing at the age of 9! At 15 when most of us

struggle with our teenage life, this man became the headmaster of his makeshift school. His makeshift school teaches

about 300 students today and has 6 full-time teachers. If this is not inspiring and out of the ordinary,

what is?

2. Aditya Kumar - The 'Cycle Guruji':

Aditya Kumar popularly known as the 'cycle guruji', has taken education to places where schools couldn't reach. This

great man rides about 60 to 65 km on his bicycle everyday to teach. He provides free education to children living in

the slums of Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. He has been doing this inspiring duty since 1995. Being born into a poor family

and having no support for formal education, Aditya Kumar says he is one of his students, he can live their situation.

He carries a board on his bicycle, whenever and wherever a student stops him, he sits and teaches, be it on the road-

side, park or near the slums. Inspiring isn't it?

3. Arvind Gupta - A Teacher who makes learning a fun activity:

How we all wish we could learn science like this? Arvind Gupta here is such a fun teacher, he actually teaches

science concepts in the process of creating toys. He creates these toys from trash, explaining the scientific stuff

behind each one of the steps to making these toys. How awesome is that! He also uploads videos of his fun

teaching techniques on YouTube.

4. Rajesh Kumar Sharma - Founder of the 'under the bridge school':

How many of you crib about a broken chair? You will think again if you read this. Rajesh Kumar Sharma, this

man runs a school under a Delhi Metro Bridge. His students come from the nearby slums. He calls it 'Under the

Bridge School' and his student population is about 200 every day. Building or no, chairs or no, this man believes

in sharing knowledge. He started this exemplary school in 2005. This school also hosts volunteer teachers, some

famous personalities, who come from various walks of life.

5. Abdul Malik - Swims to reach school on time:

Coming late to work since you live a tad bit away from workplace? Sounds familiar? You might want to read about this dedicated man, because you will not find many like him. Abdul Malik is a primary school teacher in Malappuram district of Kerala; he swims to work every day because it is the shortest route to reach his school. He ditches his 3 hour long ride on the bus to cover 12 kilometers, instead opts for swimming through the gushing river which is easier and faster but not safer. He takes his river route for the humble reason to reach his school on time. Deserves a medal, this man!

6. Vimla Kaul - The 80-year-old wonder woman:

Should I say 80-years-old or 80-years-young? Vimal Kaul teaches children from a village called Madanpur

Khadar in Delhi, since the past 20 years. Because of the lack of teachers in the village,

she brought the students to the nearby area of Sarita Vihar. And since there was no

proper building to teach, she used to move from one park to another to conduct

classes for them in the city. She finally has a building where she teaches students up till class two now. She says

her students are very talented, all that they need to create wonders is proper support and guidance.

Page 6 Volume 1, I ssue 7 ONE STEP HIGHER

A Power Within!!

GURU - Giving Unforgettable Rich Utilities

-By Pratibha Lalwani

A GURU is not the one who will tell you how to walk,

he’s the one who will let you fall and guide you how to climb the rock.

He’s not the one, who will make you weep,

he’s the one who will let you cry and tell you how to reap.

He’s not the one who praises you all the while,

he’s the one who scolds you and see how well you pile.

He’s not the one to whom you accord,

he’s the one who makes your principles your sword.

He’s a lighted room,

which hails ray that a flower needs to grow and to bloom.

Like a bird with no wings having aspirations never-ending,

a mentor catches you,

and shapes you.

He turns on your heat to battle the war zone,

and lets you wear the victory throne.

Showering droplets of knowledge and wisdom,

a teacher moulds cottage to kingdom.

India's first female teacher Savitribai Phule, was also the woman to open the first girl school in the

country. In 1948, when Phule and her husband started the school for girls in Pune, it had caused

outrage. She received a lot of backlash and abuse for doing what she believed in. Despite it all, Phule

managed to open five more schools for girls by the end of that year.

As a poet, Phule is considered to be one of the pioneers in Marathi poetry. Phule’s achievements

didn’t stop there, she also dealt with issues like untouchability and widow remarriages. With the sup-

port of her husband and her profound determination, she also initiated the noble act of opening

a school for untouchable girls at the time when even talking of untouchables was considered as im-

pure. When others were reluctant to offer water to the thirsty untouchables, Savitribai and her hus-

band got a well dig in their own house to serve water to the untouchables.

Her life as a teacher was full of hardships. The upper caste orthodox individuals used to contemn

her opinions and actions, and they even threw stones and dung on her. Despite all the sufferings she

continued with her teaching and slowly she manifested her principles. Finally, her contribution to

education was honored by the British government. In 1852 Savitribai and her husband’s efforts were

also complimented by the government.

A lot of people in India today might not be aware of the efforts and achievement of Savitribai Phule,

who plucked up the courage to undertake the noble act of ’teaching’ women in the very ‘Dark Age’.

For her, stand against the restrictions imposed on the women in India, today’s women society should

be grateful to her.

'First Lady' Teacher of India: Savitribai Phule!!

You owe her. But do you know

her?

The pioneer of women education

in India : Savitribai Phule

Sharing Knowledge

ONE STEP HIGHER

A Power Within!!

One Step Higher” is a publication started by a group of professional women

seeking to create an environment of awareness & knowledge with responsibil-

ity, not only technical but also general to among the mass youth. It’s first edi-

tion has been published in March 2016.

Woman is the most important part of society who is held responsible for the

development from within the society & it’s somewhat really interesting to look

at the problems & tackle them from her perspective.

The purpose of serving of this publication is however, neither limited to a par-

ticular section or group of society nor to any particular age or gender.

Our readers are our strength and we invite feedback, suggestions and write-

ups . Write to us & help us find our next focus topic. For feedback and

query, please contact: stephigherone@gmail.com . The inclusion/exclusion of

any material or write-up received will be sole decision of Ms. Harsha Ram-

nani, Ms. Anjali Jain, Ms. Aayushi Jain & Ms. Devangi Agrawal., the

founders of the publication.

Phone: 9001561467

Phone: 9950528772

E-mail: stephigherone@gmail.com

Disclaimer: The information contained in this publication is to provide a general guidance to the intended user. The information should not be used as a substitute

for specific consultations. Authors recommend that suitable advice is sought before taking any action on specific issues.

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