It was one of the happiest days of my life. The final result of the class two was declared today. A sweet little girl with a smiling face was standing in front of me with a Report Card in her hand. She proudly showed me the   Report Card and literally shouted with joy highlighting that she stood First in her class. I was feeling on cloud nine. My joy knew no bounds. It was really one of the most special days for me. I went into flash back.

Some one year ago, her mother, who is the wife of our watchman, approached me. She was looking very disturbed and distressed. She narrated her woes – “My daughter is very poor in her studies”. Her daughter was not performing well in the class. She added – “My daughter does not listen to me.”

She very humbly said – “I am very poor and I cannot afford to send my daughter for taking tuition classes.”  She sought my advice about her daughter. I asked – “Come tomorrow with your daughter to me.”
I tried to reason with myself to check if I can be of any help to the kid. I am a teacher in a School andteaching is my passion. I decided to spare some of my time for teaching the girl. I discussed the matter with my wife and she encouraged me to go ahead with my mission. After one or two days I asked hermother to send her daughter to me with books. I told her – “You need not pay anything to me and I will teach your daughter without any charges.”

She started coming to me. I started teaching her for one hour daily in the evening. Firstly, I would help my kids to finish their homework and then would attend to her. While teaching her English and Mathematics, I noticed that her response was very slow. Her reflexes were also not very sharp. I started teaching her the basics in English. I also tried to teach her mathematics in a way she could feel interested in solving its problems. Gradually, she started picking up the threads.

She also started taking considerable less time for solving mathematics problems. In English I taught her in a manner, so that she could feel comfortable with the language. I convinced her that English is another   language like Hindi and she can learn it easily. I would bring her some easy pictorial storybooks of English to invoke her interest in English. I helped her gain her confidence in her studies.

After two months, her first terminal exams were held. She did well and could secure average marks. I took it as an improvement, because earlier she would secure below average marks. I continued with my efforts with dedication. After few months she told me that her class teacher now recognizes her well, as she would come out with responses in the class. In the half yearly exams, my hard work bore some fruits; she secured more than average marks. From the bottom of the table she was now amongst the top ten students in the class.

I would give her homework on regular basis and would ask her to solve some problems in front of me to gain the momentum. Simultaneously, I told her that she had the capability and she could excel in her studies. By the time her final exams were held, I was sure that she would perform well. She did not let me down; she did pretty well in her exams. Ultimately, she secured the first position in the class, to the astonishment of her class teacher and her parents. Knowing the result her proud mother came to me and said – “It is all because of your dedicated efforts and it appears unbelievable to me”. I in my hearts of heart was more than happy, because I could help an average child to come out with flying colours. I felt that every child has the potential to excel, but she needs to be guided, groomed and polished so that she could produce her best.