Mr. Veera was my Knowledge and Inquiry (KI) tutor last year at Temasek JC.

Although he only taught me in a classroom setting for a year, he was my mentor for various projects including my KI Independent Study. As such, he not only taught me content knowledge, but also to accord respect to everyone, to be humble, and to be open to knowledge beyond one’s area of interest. Arts students like me rarely venture past our niche areas, leaving Maths and Science to ‘the geeks’. However, Mr. Veera was genuinely interested in all fields of knowledge, and shared his enthusiasm in class.

He read widely and could offer intelligent conversation on a range of topics. Yet he was never one to brag, always saying, “I’m not an expert but this is what I think”, even when talking about his areas of specialty. While doing my Independent Study, I disappointed him multiple times by producing mediocre work. Yet every time, he would cut to the chase by saying, “I’m going to be frank with you,” and speak his mind. And though his bluntness was sometimes brutal, I always appreciated it as he would end off by stating how he knew I was capable of better. His steadfast confidence in me spurred me on, as I didn’t want to let him down.

In many ways, he left an impression on me because he basically practised what he preached. That, I feel, is the mark of any great teacher. Thank you, Mr. Veera.