The Best Day, Everyday

Photos: Prabir Das

A Teach for Bangladesh Fellow is a dignitary- not in his or her lifestyle, or in their fame and money, or in all clichéd ways one becomes a dignitary. A Fellow is one in the way he or she changes someone else's life. They are dignitaries to those who they help dream bigger everyday. 

While following the National Curriculum and Text Book Board of Bangladesh (NCTB), Teach for Bangladesh adds their own twist to teaching. A TFB Fellow's first priority is to teach manners, good governance and morals. The first few weeks are spent harnessing these important values within each student, before stepping into the academics. The academic lesson plans are designed in an innovative and interactive manner and are so precise; it takes almost a whole night to prepare for the next day.

Graduating with an almost perfect GPA from BRAC University, Maliha Ahsan has been a part of Teach for Bangladesh right from the beginning. On the verge of ending her fellowship in December 2015, Maliha looks back one year and eight months, at her time as a Fellow and an educator at Amtali Government Primary School.

DISCLAIMER Staying true to the routine, this is a fictitious journal entry of Maliha, as she spends 'A Day in the Life of a Fellow'.

Date: August 17, 2015.
Day: Monday

6:30-7:20 AM- As the day begins
Good that I woke up on time today and thank God I finished preparing all the materials last night and fixed my lesson plans. I made some colourful cut-outs and drew some educative pictures for the children to put up on the walls. Right then, out I go. It's going to be a great day!

7:30-8:15 AM- Revving engines, ready for a good start
Right on time, and attendance filled out by 7:30. Almeer, a fellow TFB Fellow, and I are preparing ourselves for the first class now. Almeer and I take this class together, and we will be giving an English lessons to Class 2 children. We switch the roles of teaching and assisting the students whenever needed. I need to go and check if all the group captains (the students are divided into groups, each consisting of a captain in-charge of the group) have readied the rest of the class. I have a brilliant lesson planned for them- prepositions! 

8:15-8:55 AM- First class of the day
All my students had their textbooks out before I even got there! I always have a nice greeting session with them and then class begins. It really helps them learn if you can give each child individual attention. What we do at TFB is very applicable this way, because we have a whole segment of our lesson dedicated to giving each child individual attention. While I was looking on my students doing their class work, Almeer instructed them to find their own mistakes. This is also a method we use at TFB so that it's easier for the students to recognise their mistakes, and learn not to repeat them. As they made their corrections, the class concluded with high spirits. 

8:55-9:40 AM- First break of the day
Nope, no time. I have to get my material ready for the next class, prepare worksheets and come up with new lesson plans. These students have such vast minds, such eagerness to learn, so much hope for the future. As their educator and a TFB Fellow, it is my duty to give life to their hopes and dreams. Managing the paperwork and materials won't take too long. So, like everyday, I'll go and spend some time with the kids. Some of them really need someone to talk to sometimes, about home, personal issues, or even for some help with home/class work. In TFB, we are trained to always lend our students an ear and help them in any way we can. 

9:40-10:05 AM- Besides the academics
Everyday, for at least 20 minutes, children need to get their minds off work and into play. These 20 minutes, are for extra-curricular activities, be it sports, performing arts or fine arts. Sometimes, I take this time to teach them phonics (pronunciations of words). 

10:15-11:00 AM- Numbers and figures
Time for maths class, in my homeroom class! The class always has a sum on the board before beginning the lesson. While I ready my material, the students are busy solving the sum on the board. After that, roll call begins.
Today, Rasel did fractions and got almost all of them right! I called him a 'hero' and it motivated him to go beyond his limitations and really just hit sum after sum out of the park. It's so important to keep these children motivated. One of my favourite students had to recently drop out because her father left and she had to support her family. That incident was not only heartbreaking for me and my student, but it left me quite afraid of losing the others. They all have so much potential, so much to offer to the world. Motivation is of utmost importance! 

11:00-11:40 AM- With fellow educators
Another break. I'm at the teachers' office now. We're all discussing lessons and catching up on our students' progress. While I'm sitting here, I can't help but think about how much these people have influenced me throughout my time here. We all shared so much of our knowledge and methods, and we can always confide in each other. I have to remember to thank them all before I leave. 

11:40-12:15 PM- All in English
My English lessons for my homeroom class are a notch tougher. This class is conducted fully in English, both for me and my students. While some of the students are a little shy, others speak loud and proud, even if their English is broken. I always encourage speaking in English during English class. The more you speak it, the more you learn!

12:15-12:45- Aid to grumbling tummies
My students and I are famished by this point, and lunch break could not have come at a better time. The first ten minutes, I always spend with my students. We discuss lessons, life, dreams and aspirations. By now, my students' aspirations have become my own. I want these little children's big dreams to come true and I want to help. Its times like these, during tiffin break with my children around me, that I want to take some time to thank Teach for Bangladesh, who gave me the opportunity to be right here, right now. 

12:45-1:45 PM- Science and other cool stuff
I alternately take science or social sciences during this lesson,. Today we'll be studying science. My homeroom students love science. They love having a subject that they can relate to themselves and their surroundings. Learning about trees, human bodies and even space excites them. Today in class, I was asked a most interesting question. One of my students asked, "why don't tress grow on the moon?" I was quite baffled at the question and before I could cook up a reply, another student of mine explained how the lack of oxygen and water was the reason. It was such a proud teaching moment for me. 

1:45-2:15 PM- Time to take a real breather
In the teachers room, we're all laid back, still discussing classes and routines, packing up to go home after a hard day's work. Just packing up though, the extra classes will begin shortly. 

2:15-3:00 PM- The extra classes
We take extra classes for a few who were being naughty in class, but mostly students who are a little behind. 

3:30- PM- Home again
Even though extra classes end at 3, it takes a while to finish everything up and come back home. After lunch, it's going to be nap-time. Today was, like every other day, a whole new experience, and it will take some time to sink in, waking up from the nap, I'm going to sit down again and plan tomorrow's day and lessons. I'll have time. It's not a Thursday, so I don't have a class in BRAC IED. This is a postgraduate diploma that TFB covers for us Fellows as a part of our professional development in the Fellowship, in partnership with BRAC University's IED. This is just one of the other great opportunities that I get from TFB. Anyway, I can't wait to see my darling students again. Until then…

An ordinary day in the life of a Fellow, can be an extraordinary day for us simpletons. 24 hours of inspiration, aspirations, and working to make so many dreams come true is something we all look forward to. 
So take the leap. Become a Fellow. Have the best day, everyday.