One cannot be a good teacher without mastery not only over his specific subject but knowledge in general. Today emphasis is laid on learning by the child rather than on teaching by the teacher.
Since my beginning as a teacher (July 2000), I have come across the three types of students.
The first type of student listens to the teacher's words with his whole being. He listens with undivided faith and unconditional love. He drinks in his teacher's words with his whole being. He may have learnt all text, yet he still remains a beginner, innocent as a child.
The second type of student listens, but only partially. It will take much more time for him to realise the Truth. He does listen, but only emotionally. True knowledge can enter into him only when he listens to the teacher with such intensity that he forgets himself. The doubtful mind will not allow him to be an innocent beginner, so that knowledge may flow into him. The teacher, therefore, has to be very patient with such a student, so that he may learn how to listen fully.
The third type is the student who is intellectually inclined. He is very talkative within, and his mind contains so much information that he cannot listen at all. The student's ability to listen is extremely poor, because he does not know how to be an innocent beginner. Such student will constantly be asking within, "How?", "Why?","What?" and "When?" because his intellect is crammed with his own ideas and those of the text. The teacher must have tremendous patience to bring this kind of disciple on track. The teacher will empty the student's intellect by making him feel the heavy burden of his storehouse of limited knowledge, and he will then fill the student's heart with true knowledge and with the light and love of God. This is a tremendous task that can only be done by a true teacher.
