“The best teachers are those who show you where to look but don’t tell you what to see”
Alexandra K. Trenfor
I never thought that at some point in my life, I would incline towards teaching. The reason for not considering so is quite evident(at least around me!) Owing to the socio-economic condition from which I hail, people take teaching to be a noble profession. However, teachers don’t have the social status they truly deserve. As such, many students growing under this condition remain unaware of the fulfilling aspects that teaching might have.
It all changed in January 2021 when I started taking Basic English Classes from Instant School’s platform. In every class for the entire hour, I would remain stressed; I had to deal with the pressure of network inconveniences, audience reactions, and class quality. My shirt would soak in sweat at the end of every class. However, at the end of the LIVE, when people commented that they learned a lot from the LIVE class and are grateful for the handwork I put into it, all of my efforts seemed to pay off. I started feeling better about myself.
After noticing my growing passion for teaching, I started teaching some more students personally. From the surface, it appeared to be a strenuous task, given the handwork and commitment involved. But as time passed, it became the new normal for me. It’s been only four months, yet I already know that teaching is something I want to hold on to for the rest of my life, regardless of where I go.
Now comes the wholesome experience that I encountered a few days back!
It was the 8th May of May, at around 8 PM. I was idling on my chair and listening to songs as I had a pretty hectic day. At that moment, a student called. He was learning Basic English Grammar from me. So, I thought he probably wanted to talk about a grammar topic or clear out a concept. I picked up the phone with slight reluctance.
And I couldn’t be more wrong than this!
He told me that his purpose of calling was to send me an Eid Gift via Bkash ( A mobile money system in Bangladesh) and that he needed my number for that. When I heard this, my heart melted. I never really thought of it this way. A student doesn’t always call to give you trouble.
The amount of money was not important. Rather, the gesture was. These are what inspire me!
If you’re a teacher and have encountered wholesome students in your teaching career, please feel free to share your story!
Sabik Hasan 