Reams of paper, red pen, big lesson plan
charts, books, evaluation, I have seen them all since the time I did not understand
what they were. A teacher mother brings all that to home. As a student, there
was lot to emulate. The earliest memory of role reversal goes to 1999 when on
Teacher’s Day, 5th September in India; we as class 9 students at
Saint Lawrence School, were to teach junior classes. The seniors gave me a
‘most well dressed young teacher’ prize in the function that followed.
Little
did I know then that I will eventually become a ‘real’ teacher ten years later
and then be at it for another ten years. Today, the 12th of January marks
a decade being a teacher.
Angry
young man
I joined Kasturba Medical College
International Center, KMCIC, often called just IC, after a brief teaching stint
at an allied health science college in Bangalore. I always wanted to come back
to Manipal and the opportune moment arrived in the cool January of 2009.
As a 25 year old, with a post graduate
degree in medical biochemistry, fresh with knowledge of various aspects of the
subject, supported by public speaking skills gathered over years, the change in
power equation cemented by stereotypes, the angry young man mode marked the
beginning.
Exacerbated by the fact that the students
were just a few years junior, all non resident Indians having brought up in a
different classroom culture, alien to the Indian conception, a couple of walk
outs from the class, reprimands, marked the first few months. In hindsight it
stemmed from that need of decorum and discipline, almost military like, in a
classroom which quintessentially equates to students paying respect to teacher.
Crappy theory, one realizes later.
But then it became better. The realization
that an unruly class, more often than not, is a failure of the teacher, that
insulting an adult to shut him off is only going to alienate him further, that
the various personality traits make for various reactions, that power cannot
and should not be misused dawned slowly.
I could feel and see change in about a year
or two.
In 2013 January, after a very enriching
stint in IC teaching biochemistry and genetics, I moved to Melaka Manipal
Medical College to continue teaching biochemistry.
I have taught a wide range of courses in
these ten years. Mainly the MBBS program, interestingly one that is ratified by
Malaysian Qualifying Agency, the former was by American Board. Apart than that
allied health science, dentistry, biotechnology, dietary and nutrition, nursing
and a few others. I have enjoyed teaching all these courses and I have never
discriminated with students based on discipline, sadly a phenomenon widely
seen.
Mentoring
Teaching is not just about the classroom.
It is mentorship which affects students. The number may vary but I strongly
feel that if a teacher can influence just one student positively, it has a
butterfly effect. A drug addict, who had been in and out of rehab, a guy whose
mental health made him involve in dangerous practices, a girl from a broken
family having relationship issues, someone who had trouble concentrating on
anything, one who just wanted to share her stories, someone who would lock him
up in hostel room, one who would not come back to hostel, there are scores of
such stories that I remember vividly.
Exasperating as it may be at that point in
time to deal with such kind of trouble, I realized pretty early in my career
that showing some support, listening to them, or just being there can make a
sea change in people. Of the examples cited above, many of them are successful doctors
in the US today, something that was unthinkable back then.
It is a very happy feeling for a teacher to
see their students do well. There might be little or no role of the teacher in
that success story, yet the mere feeling that you knew the person, interacted
with her, tried to impart some knowledge, some skill, and that the person is
seemingly doing well is a satisfying feeling.
The
lure of the classroom
The one thing that has stood out in this
past decade as a teacher for me is the lure of a classroom. There is nothing
more exciting that being in a class. It is there amidst students, young men and
women, eager to learn, to listen, where all worries vanish.
Unkind situations have led me to points
where I have returned from an MRI scan of my one and half year daughter at 2 am
in the morning only to take a class at 8 in the morning and it is in that class
of an hour where the mind has not fleeted to the hospital. And that is just one
example; there have been umpteen such situations.
What is it about the classroom then? It is
perhaps the eagerness to share information, to engage with students, the urge
to be effective which predominate all worry that the mind has been preoccupied
with. It is blissful to be in a classroom taking class.
Teaching
is not a job, it is a calling?
I have wondered about this statement often.
Teaching has a calling component to it certainly, but it also needs a rigor
that a job, even if boring, is associated with. To show up early in the
morning, to have a class late in the afternoon, and with enthusiasm, with
passion, needs one to like the work they do.
There is one thing about the teaching job
that I greatly appreciate and am thankful for - the freshness of it. Every year
sees one or two new batch of new students and brings with it the newness that
is much required in any vocation. Each batch has its own dynamics, its own
challenges, and its own energy. Teaching, for me, never gets boring.
I feel it is important to stay relevant.
With each passing year the students change. A cultural shift, a generational
shift, an attitudinal shift is all part of the game and sooner a teacher
realizes that it is better for her. We cannot be using old techniques for new
age students. Yes, a chalk and talk might be relevant for many decades to come
but for example using technology to enhance learning should be accepted at a
greater level.
Not
just a teacher
I have had the privilege to do much more
than teaching and some amount of science and medical education research in this
past decade. As secretary of the university cultural coordination committee,
the organization of inter collegiate fest, as emcee in umpteen formal and
informal programs, as writer of numerous reports and yearbooks, as hostel
warden for five years, as resource person facilitating sessions on soft skills,
winning sports events and other awards, as coordinator for internationalization
to website to disciplinary committee to more, these leadership positions at
university and college level, these organizational activities have imparted
rich experience.
Being in a private university like Manipal
is a boon for a teacher for there is a lot of leeway and especially in my
college, Melaka Manipal Medical College, which is not under the archaic medical
Council of India, one can try new things, the curriculum has flexibility,
innovation is appreciated and the overall work environment is relaxing.
Questions
A constant question that hits me after
every module is ‘how effective have I been?’ I guess it has to do with ones
teaching philosophy too. Mine is to leave the student with something that makes
her search for more. I believe a classroom also is a room for discussing, with
time permitting, issues beyond academics. In my decade long experience, I can
vouch it inspires many students. Much has been written, lot of training is
imparted on how to be effective and one must enroll in those and learn. But at
the end of the day, if there is goodness that you want to share, aiming at
enriching an individual’s repertoire of knowledge, skills and attitude, it will
motivate you to be a good teacher.
Reflection
Despite having my own set of disappointment
about what I could have achieved in this last decade, I am largely satisfied
with my evolution as a teacher. It is not necessary to win excellence in
teaching awards to be content. It is rather the path to excellence that is
important. And I am on it. I am involved in projects which aim at enhancing
learning using technology and I am passionate about psychology and science of
learning.
I want to empower my students, not feed
them with ready to serve information. I want my student to be inquisitive, not
content with whatever is served. I want my student to question all that comes
her way, not accept authority in the way it comes.
Sometimes I like reading the few messages
on cards, photographs, mementos that students have left behind in these years.
They are a source of inspiration on a bad day.
At this point in life, I feel I can be a
teacher all my life.
PS: Next update could be at least 5 years
down the line.
