Today is Teacher’s Day, a day when we celebrate the people who impart valuable knowledge and prepare us for life. However, today is also a day, for a lot of people, when the most damaging memories resurface. While Teacher’s Day is a day to acknowledge the teachers you remember fondly, it’s also a day to remember that not all teachers are saints.

We’ve all faced teachers in school who have been nasty and mean to kids for no apparent reason. Those are not the teachers to be celebrated. There are several things these teachers do that can damage a child for life and leave scarring memories for the rest of their lives. Here are a few examples of terrible things a lot of teachers do, which their students don’t forget for a long, long time.

Taunting a child in front of the whole class

This is something a lot of students face. When you’re “below average” or your performance is “not satisfactory”, some teachers make it a point to taunt kids in front of the whole class. What they don’t realise is that these children will continue to get taunted and bullied by their classmates long after the teacher leaves. Whether it’s for poor marks or even a consistently bad score, no child deserves to be shamed like this.

Showing favouritism among their own students

In any job, it’s natural to take the easier route to success. For some teachers, however, this generally meant giving more attention to kids who were already doing well. Making more effort with them would mean that they would keep the class average high. This often results in other kids being left out and falling even more behind since their own teacher showed no faith in them.

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Shaming children in front of their parents and friends’ parents

This is the story of all PTMs. Children are often shamed by their teachers in front of their parents and their friends’ parents. Imagine your parents being called to your office every time you screwed up at work. Imagine your boss, who you’re terrified of, yelling at you in front of your parents and your colleagues. It always hurts, doesn’t it? Then why is this the norm for parent-teacher meetings? For an impressionable and already scared child, being made to stand like an accused in court can be scarring for life.

Punishing kids for not doing their homework instead of trying to understand why

This is a constant in most schools. Teachers routinely punish kids for not doing their homework instead of trying to understand why a child did not do their assignment. There is always a reason, no matter how small or big. And it’s vital for teachers, the people shaping these kids for life, to understand why they’re lagging. From issues at home or a lack of understanding, it could be anything. Punishments for not doing homework never solve these problems.

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Scolding a child for not grasping a particular subject at the same speed as their classmates

The Indian education system is not easy. No one can argue against that. So when a child doesn’t grasp a particular subject, they shouldn’t have to feel bad about it. But some teachers make sure they do. It’s far too common to see a child being pulled up for not understanding a lesson. And that is not their fault. If anyone is to be blamed, it’s the teacher who obviously failed at their main job. Instead of scolding a child for something that’s not in their control, it would be a lot better to make an extra effort with that child to help them catch up with the rest of the class.

Telling kids that high marks should be their only aim

High marks are not the only thing you need to succeed in life. But most of us realise this only when we’re adults. While schools do lay stress on extra-curricular activities, they start fading away in the higher classes. Then it’s just about the marks. Every single day, it’s drilled into a child’s brain that if they don’t get high marks, they won’t make it in life. Marks are important, yes. But as we grow up, we realise that marks don’t guarantee success in life. Everyone, no matter what sort of marks they get in school, has to work hard.

Teacher’s Day isn’t happy for everyone. So while we’re celebrating the good ones, let’s also remember not to let the bad teachers get away with irresponsible, damaging behaviour.

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Related: Parents, Siblings, Friends – People Who Deserve To Be Wished A Happy Teacher’s Day