Living in The Presence

My French Class

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    Mother - Yes, the School wanted you to take Bengali classes. So I told Pavitra that you would not take Bengali but French classes.

    I - So, Mother, you would like me to teach French from next year? But will I be able to?

    Mother - Yes, you will. I have heard you speak French. Your pronunciation is good. You speak French well. My dear child, you are capable of taking French classes. Taking classes will help you learn this language even more, and it will also help you develop your personality. I have selected you for this because you will progress a lot through this.

    After saying this, She gave me some flowers in my hand and blessed me. Bowing down to Her, I retraced my steps. I came and stood at the Samadhi for a while. My being was overjoyed at this unexpected proposal of the Mother's. But from time to time, I was also overcome with nervous fear. Would I be able to? Would I be able to take up this difficult responsibility? Being a teacher is no simple task, as it involves great responsibility. With all these thoughts buzzing in my head, I headed home. As I was walking, I remembered something from my French class: my French teacher, Bharati-di would always introduce me to a newcomer with a teasing "Here is the girl who always lives in the moon!" Then my mind went back to another incident connected with the 1^st December. It was the dress-rehearsal day. In those days, a few days before the 1^st ,the programme was performed with costumes, make-up, lights and sound, and the Mother came to witness it. (This tradition has continued to this day.) So that day, the Mother arrived at the Playground for the dress-rehearsal. She watched the programme after which all the participants surrounded the Mother. She was sitting in front of the stage. While the Mother was commenting on the programme, everyone listened to Her in intense concentration. Anuben, I remember, was standing on the Mother's right while I stood a little away on Her left along With the other dancers. Then the Mother suddenly turned

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    Now, let me come back to the Mother's way of working with regard to my taking French classes. She was indeed divine! Whether this happened two years earlier or later, She knew that my command over Bengali was much greater than over French. And yet, She insisted on my taking French classes! Why? I have never understood what was behind the Mother's thinking since I did not ever raise this topic with Her. However, I took Her decision as an act of Her Grace and I have been more than rewarded and made a lot of progress. The Mother had told me that I would progress a lot by taking these classes and so I tried to live up to this challenge with as much inner sincerity as I was capable of.

    I began my French classes. I set out to fulfil my duty with one-pointed concentration. A few years later, a new system of education called Free Progress was launched in the school. This was an inconceivably new concept. One day Tanmay-da (Jean Raymond), a French teacher of the school, explained to me the whole philosophy and workings of this new system in great detail. He also mentioned that the Mother had selected a few teachers to work in this section. I was one among these. That was the reason for his explaining to me the entire set-up. And so as per Her wishes, Paru, Dhanvanti and myself took on the responsibility of 45 students of this Free Progress system. Whether this concept of the Free Progress system originated from the Mother, I couldn't say, but it was extraordinary. If I were to highlight the special qualities of the educational philosophy behind this system, I would need to write an entire Chapter. So let me not even attempt it here. All I can mention before moving on is that it is immensely beneficial to any true seeker of knowledge and of real education.

    I would like to quote here a most significant exchange I had with the Mother which is profoundly illuminating for teachers. A young student in my class did not seem to have any desire for learning French for over six months. On top of that, he would perturb the class by irritating his classmates,

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    As soon as I said this, the Mother flared up. Very loudly, She said, "Why do you want him to study? Is it because you want him to study?" The Mother said this with such force that my body began to tremble out of fear. The Mother remained Silent for a While. She put the flowers I had given Her in the tray and then resumed, "This is how teachers are. Students must do what they want. They have to study because teachers want them to study. Can I ask you - why.? Why do they have to study? Doesn't the student have any right to follow his own temperament and nature?" Then looking at me, She continued, "Why should everyone be obliged to study? If any student happens to be a little different from the others, then it is for the teachers to find a way to get that kind of student interested in the subject, to get him enthused enough to want to study that subject. Whatever you do, it is always the same. You Want to follow just one system. The teachers have to work very hard, have to try different things. But they do just the opposite, they start blaming, for no justifiable reason, the student for everything, calling him unworthy and worthless."

    After that the Mother kept silent for a long time. The force and conviction of the Mother's words had shaken me deeply. It felt as if the surrounding walls of the room were trembling too. What power there was in Her words! It is possible that because of my fear I may not be able to recollect everything She said, but there was such firmness in the way She saw the whole thing. Her words have left an indelible

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    Mother - When you are up against such a situation in the class, then you have to make an effort, my dear child, you have to try out a different method which can help you get the student's attention and interest for this subject. If there is a student who does not seem to be interested, then you must find out why he is not interested. Perhaps his mind wants things differently. Perhaps, he likes the subject but he does not like the way you approach the subject!

    I - Mother, whenever children are mischievous in the class, there is turmoil in the class, is it always the teacher's fault?

    Mother - Yes, invariably. It just means that the teacher is unable to control the class. As soon as a student finds out that the teacher has no control over himself, that he or she is weak, his mischief increases even more. You have to be truly firm. You have to bring that discipline, first over yourself. You have to be constantly vigilant. Otherwise it's all lost, everything gets out of control.

    I - Mother, when we have made a mistake and realise that we have done so, what should we do.?

    Mother - Accept it. All human beings make mistakes. When you go to the class next time, openly accept your mistake in all humility before the students. Tell them that what you told them earlier about the subject under discussion was incorrect. This is how it should be! And then tell them the right thing. In this way, the students will not only respect you more but what is more, they will themselves learn to grow in humility. Humility, my dear child, be humble and simple like a flower. Spread your humility and your simplicity, spread your purity all around. (The Mother concentrated on me for a while.) Don't misunderstand my scolding you. You are an important teacher among the lot. Make your heart more generous, make it vast like the ocean. In that vastness, you will see, there is a place for everything, every experience of life has its place there. That is the supreme truth. Let me end here. Aurevoir!

I began to work day and night to try and find a way that Would help me to bring about a change in the student in question. I gave him plenty of extra time, talking to him alone, Working with him individually, in order to know what he really wanted. Slowly I understood that his real passion was drawing and painting and that he wanted to be an artist. I myself used to learn drawing with Krishnalal-ji then. I was happy to see that both of us were fond of art, and so I began teaching him French through art. A harmonious rapport developed between us and his sense of involvement grew to such an extent that in the Free Progress section, he turned out to be second overall and first among the 45 in French! The Mother was delighted to hear this and blessed us both. Another thing I would like to add before closing this chapter: this boy blossomed into a very fine artist!

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