Imagine sitting in a class surrounded by the cheerful faces of your classmates. The smell of notebooks, the scratching sound of pens on paper along with the captivating lecture of your teacher make you escape to the land of the imagination. What if you were the teacher of this vibrant classroom in one of the multiverses?
A number of students aspire to be teachers at their alma maters. Being able to teach at the same place where one spent a significant part of their life is usually regarded as an honour. Md Tanvir Habib, a lecturer at Dhaka University, shares this anthem of pride while recounting his inspiring story. "I have to keep a tab on whether I'm upholding the regulations of the authority while teaching at other universities. On the other hand, I've spent one of the most important parts of my life at DU. This campus is my second home."
According to him, the nuances of the relationship with his teachers changed in a positive way. "I always shared a close bond with my teachers even in my student life. Even though I was not a frontbencher per se, being in the good books of my teachers paved the way for better communication in a professional setting," he remarks.
He dives into the recollection of his student life where TSC dwells as a colourful canvas. The role of TSC wasn't confined to the orbit of being a hang-out spot for him but it worked as a hub for club activities. After turning this new leaf in life, the workstation of the department soon replaced the vibrant TSC as his favourite place on campus.
He admits that even though he has the flexibility of cancelling classes as a teacher, the driving force of responsibility stops him from doing so. Just as he sheds light regarding the mind-mapping as a teacher, he also mentions how the food habit has changed after taking up the role of a teacher.
"The opportunity of trying dynamic foods has changed as I tend to order food from the teachers' lounge or some limited canteens. I have to willingly sacrifice the luxury of roaming around the campus with the same causality as the presence of a teacher amidst the students might put them in an awkward position because of the changed equation."
Being a student of the Department of International Relations in Bangladesh University of Professionals (BUP), Shamrir - Al Af also brewed the dream of becoming a teacher here. He was overwhelmed with joy when he got to know that now he will be able to be where his teachers used to. As he starts to braid the memories of his student life, he emphasises how deeply he misses the presence of his classmates.
"It is not possible to roam around the campus with more flexibility and causality because of the touch of the official decorum. As a teacher, it often becomes impossible to even enjoy the vibrant ambience of the cafeteria because of the formal settings of the teachers' corner," he says.
As he continues to unpack his basket of stories, he mentions how being a teacher of his alma mater fills his heart with joy because of how proud his friends are of him. Just as the warm celebration of his friends makes his heart sing at the top of his lungs, he also thinks there are new scopes for intellectual discussions with his teachers.
In terms of co-curricular activities, he thinks there is a stark difference in how the dimensions changed regarding club activities. "The organisational traits of club activities of BUP require the teachers to be engaged with the organisational aspects of the event. As a student, my priorities revolved around building networks, having fun or using the thriving environment of a club as a stepping stone to the job world with a rich CV. My focal point tilted towards the administrative side of the club after assuming the role of a teacher. Not only my role demands me to be engaged in a more hierarchical structure but also the pattern of communication changed to a more top-down approach."
Another former student from the same department, Masrur Mahmud Khan also stitched the dream of becoming a teacher at BUP. Being a good student, his life was tied to the sprinkles of encouragement from his classmates as he could explain complex topics to them in a simple way. The news of joining here as a lecturer was surreal for him.
Just as he vividly remembers the picturesque nights, he also mentions how he used to try to explore the beauty in the daily activities of the student life- which revolved around taking the time to relish the morning tea folded with the 'adda' sessions of the tea stall or spending a few moments to admire the shifting colour palettes of sunsets while participating in the scramble of crispy wedges of the canteen.
He echoed Shamrir regarding the changes in the relationship dynamics with his teachers. He doesn't think the thread of the relationship has changed that much. "There always looms a respectable boundary between the teachers and the students. Obviously, a new door of opportunity opened for me to take part in more insightful conversations with them but there will always be an unwritten rule set in the back of my mind to treat them as my teachers, not colleagues."
Masrur, however, brings an important mention of how fostering positive student-teacher relationships is important to create a classroom environment for better catering towards the academic as well as the emotional needs of the students. He emphasises building a comfort zone for the students so that they could reach out to him if they face any set of problems.
The writer is a student at the Department of International Relations at Bangladesh University of Professionals.
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