PERSONALITIES WITH TRUE GRIT

REMARKABLE ACHIEVERS AND AUTOBIOGRAPHIES

After reading  Nelson Mandela’s autobiography and the hardship that he went through being imprisoned really moved me emotionally. I felt his pain (literally speaking). Despite all the difficulties he faced in his campaign, he became a renowned international figure and was awarded the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize Award in 1993 for his work.

Now the question is, will I use this text to teach my students in secondary school? In my opinion, I will not use this autobiography to teach my students about remarkable achievers. Instead I will use autobiography of remarkable achievers from our own country. I prefer to expose my students to the local heroes simply because, many of them are not aware of our own national heroes who fought for our country. You will be amazed at their general knowledge pertaining to our own country. Some of the students don’t even know who was the first PM. It’s amazing isn’t it? They don't know so many things.I would like to teach and educate them about the importance of knowing about their country first. In Nelson Mandela’s autobiography, there are just too many political issues which I deem as unnecessary for students to know.  As a teacher, what materials we choose for each topic must be screened deemed suitable.

If I wanted to teach them about international figures who have done great deeds, it will be the late Mother Theresa for her tireless work in Calcutta.  She ministered to the poor, sick, orphaned, dying and the untouchables. I will give the students an extract of her autobiography. Her work has a profound impact on me. She has always inspired me to do good and be more inhumane. I am glad that the Year Six textbook has some information on her and of her receiving the Nobel Peace Prize for her dedication towards the poverty stricken. Some students these days, lack empathy and need to be taught and that DUTY falls mostly upon the teachers. Accept it with a SMILE and do your best.

"I choose the poverty of our poor people. But I am grateful to receive (the Nobel) in the name of the hungry, the naked, the homeless, of the crippled, of the blind, of the lepers, of all those people who feel unwanted, unloved, uncared-for throughout society, people that have become a burden to the society and are shunned by everyone."
-- Excerpt from the Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech Mother Teresa Winner of the 1979 Nobel Prize in Peace.

"I see God in every human being. When I wash the leper's wounds, I feel I am nursing the Lord himself. Is it not a beautiful experience?"
-- 1974 interview. - CNN - Mother Teresa Angel of Mercy