The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Looking forward to work after retirement

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Sunday, Jun 08, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Looking forward to work after retirement

— Photo: R. Shivaji Rao

Sister Gemma.

With 37 years’ experience in teaching and administration, she says there is still a lot more to do. Having served as teacher and headmistress of different schools, Sister Gemma , deems it a blessing to have worked as headmistress of Little Flower Convent Higher Secondary School for the Blind for 14 years. Sr. Gemma, who retired from service recently, shares her experiences with Meera Srinivasan.

It is not surprising that children are so fond of Sr. Gemma. They walk into her room with liberty and speak to their headmistress, who eagerly listens to them. Being the soft-spoken and adorable headmistress that she is, Sr. Gemma pays attention to whatever is said to her and then responds. “I am usually very friendly with the children, but firm and strict when I have to be,” she says.

Having majored in Sociology, she pursued her M.Ed later. “But English was always a passion,” she adds.

She started out as an English and Science teacher and later became headmistress. As a teacher, she developed an interest in teaching visually impaired students and enrolled for a course on the same at Dehradun. She has been head of schools in Nagercoil and Palliyadi, before she was posted at Little Flower Convent. “I will certainly miss being here. These 14 years here have taught me a lot,” she says.

Right from day one at the school, Sr. Gemma was determined to make a difference. “My objective was to tap their potential and give them the confidence they needed to contribute to mainstream society.”It was all a team effort, she says. “An encouraging management and a very dedicated team of staff have helped me all through.” Though the administrative role kept Sr. Gemma very busy, she made sure she got to teach. “Teaching is my life. Till my retirement, I was teaching English to the students. I believe in integrating communication skills and human values with lessons in the textbook. And that has helped,” she says.

Alumni who were once her students still keep in touch and update her on what’s happening in their lives. “I’ll surely stay in touch with my students. Many of my students are well placed. It is beautiful to see that some of them have taken up social work.”

Sr. Gemma, who belongs to the ICM Congregation, wants to be involved in youth education and empowerment.

She says children with visual impairment need compassion and not pity. “There is so much each one of us can learn from these children. We will never know what it means to not be able to see. But they know how to keep smiling despite their challenges.”

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