World Teachers' Day: 'The kids adored me and I became a teacher'

2008/10/05 -NST-

HIS is a story of passion and devotion.
Teacher and sports coach Arunandy Subramaniam has dedicated close to two-thirds of his life to moulding minds and changing the lives of the young.And the 57-year-old has never for a second thought of calling it a day.Today, the sports coordinator at Sri Garden School in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, is back at doing what he does best -- building up the sports circuit of a school.The former Kuala Lumpur chief athletics coach is just as appreciated for his teaching track record, for having been the recipient of the excellent service award -- twice at state level and once at the national level.
Looking at how the well-built, spirited man rattles on about work, it is hard to imagine that teaching was once Arunandy's last choice of profession. Being a teacher was "a coincidence", he said.Back in 1971, the sixth former was awaiting his results when he decided to take up temporary teaching at the school he was studying in, St Thomas in Kuantan.It turned out to be the best decision of his life."Looking at our teachers back then, we thought it was such a hassle managing boys like us. "But the four months really changed my whole perception of being a teacher. "I did sports and the kids adored me. That was when I thought maybe I was wrong, and maybe I'd make a good teacher."The four-month stint led to a love of a lifetime.Arunandy stayed on to become a maths and physical education teacher for 17 years, before being posted to Kuala Lumpur due to his involvement with the national team.He then spent two years at SMK Sungei Besi, 10 at SMK Cheras and five at SMK Miharja.In every school that he went, sports took centre stage -- even at a facility-deprived school like SMK Sungei Besi.The school consisted of a four-storey block, a tarmac and two parking lots. So he got the support of the parents and took the students to various places to carry out sports activities.This included ferrying students to the Bangsar sports complex for tennis and swimming and the army camp for athletics.The process repeated itself when he was posted to SMK Miharja during his last five years in service.When Arunandy left, the students got him a card saying, "You're one in a million.""When I saw the card, I started to cry. I felt so touched the children appreciated what we'd done for them. I told my wife that the card was worth more than all the money in the world."Arunandy is grateful to the teachers who taught him, saying they were a dedicated lot. Sadly, he said, the profession had declined. "Teaching is just another job today."Something must be wrong when parents were prepared to pay so much more to send their children to private schools, he said."I find many teachers who think that the school is the part-time job, and giving tuition a full-time job."This lack of passion stemmed from the wrong selection of teachers, said Arunandy.Many who genuinely wanted to become teachers were denied entry, while those who failed to get medicine, pharmacy and dentistry courses were given teaching, he added."I believe that teachers are born, not made. You can send the person for a course anywhere in the world, but he or she will not make a good teacher if he doesn't have the love for it."Arunandy also lamented the lack of appreciation for teachers today. He recalled an incident that happened when he was manning the traffic as the morning session students were leaving the school and the afternoon students were coming in."One parent dropped off her son at the gate in a car. She told the boy: 'You better study hard. If you don't, you'll end up standing at the gate like that teacher.'"But of course, the profession's ups eclipse the downs. And nothing beats satisfaction."When children you've taught 20 to 30 years ago still come to visit you, that is the best. You don't need anyone else to evaluate you. The kids are the most honest judges."