Taking private tuitions is common in India. I want to share memories of my private tutors and what they taught me after graduation. For privacy reasons, I will use alternative names for the narrative.
My first private tutor:
I didn’t start school until I turned 5, but my mother taught me the alphabet, writing sentences, numbers, and funny rhymes. However, as my mother became busier with household chores and my sister’s homework while also dealing with her physical health condition, we hired a private tutor named Ms. Phalguni to help me learn.
It’s funny to think back on my five-year-old self – jolly, playful, carefree. I was mostly calm and well-behaved with a hint of sass. When Ms. Phalguni came to teach me, her first challenge was waking me up in the morning! Most days she had to wait at my study table while my mom lovingly woke me up. At the time, I wasn’t familiar with private tutors; in my head, Ms. Phalguni was a guest visiting our house every morning. However, it didn’t take long for me to disapprove of her disrupting my sleep regularly.
I was playful and treated my teacher as a friend. I told her stories and sometimes took her on walks during our studies. Soon, both my parents and Ms. Phalguni realized it would be best to leave me alone!
What I learned from her:
To be honest, I don’t remember what Ms. Phalguni taught me during that time period. However, she may have unintentionally taught me something beautiful. She was a kind and patient teacher who always treated me gently. Although I would often jump around or start playing in the middle of a lesson, she never resorted to scolding which could have done more harm than good at such a young age.
