Last night I posted on LinkedIn, that I was celebrating completing 31 years at The University of Tampa. That started a flood of public and private messages from students who go way back. I remember most of their faces, and few of their names. I tend to remember the brilliant ones, and the wicked ones. Some of the others get lost in the shuffle of age and time and space.
As I start my 32nd year of teaching at The University of Tampa, I couldn’t help but think of the lives I’ve touched, and more importantly, the lives that have touched mine. That’s the beauty of teaching — you never really know when and how you touch a life. It is rarely a single point in time. It’s a journey of building bonds.
I am blessed that I LOVE what I do. My classroom is sacred ground, and a temple of learning. The responsibility is immense. I have to enable my students to find their true calling.
Their formal education is a small part of their readiness for life. Mark Twain said it perfectly — never let school interfere with your education.
About Hemant Rustogi