"From Students to Teachers: Alumni Series" by Arnav Bansal. I am excited to share with you an exclusive interview with Ms. Priya Sanyal, a part of TISB’s rich history, Her journey both as a student and now as a teacher.
As someone who once walked the halls as a student in our school, can you share a bit about your journey from being a student to becoming a teacher? What aspects of your personal growth stand out the most?
Returning to TISB was, I think in some ways, one of the most and least surprising things I have ever done. I grew up on this campus, I was a student around the clock, and by the time I was 18, I was ready for a change of scenery. I was looking forward to being something other than a student. I was certainly going to miss the place, but back then I had found out all that was left to know about TISB: students’ academic pressures, the long hours of boarding duty that the campus staff kept, hidey-holes, the thrice-renovated jungle gym, senior school Drama productions, VIVUM, CAS trips, Family Fun Day and even the likelihood of (wide-ranging in their seriousness) injuries while playing sports or even just climbing stairs … I thought I knew it all, having lived it. Surely, TISB couldn’t have had anything more that it could teach me, right? So I left. I graduated with an English degree or two and then I was confronted with the inescapable job market. And I thought ‘hey, I was at TISB for a while. I know the place better than I know my hometown, is there a chance they might let me back in?’ They did, and as it turns out, there is quite a bit that TISB has left to teach me. Just because I was a curious child with special insight into my mother’s workplace, it didn’t actually mean I knew everything about the inner workings of the educator’s world. Thankfully, my role as a TA at university, and my previous liaison with the TISB classroom gave me an idea of what to expect so I didn’t flounder, totally unanchored, but it was a close thing.
I think that’s the aspect of my personal growth that stands out the most, to be honest: anybody that knew me when I was a student can attest to the fact that I was always, unfailingly stressed out. I wasn’t particularly adaptable and public speaking, you might as well forget about it. I’ve learned since, to roll with the punches. I’m better for it, and that comes with the realization that there’s no written exams on this side of the table, no marks to lose after you spent all night cramming just to miss a keyword on the day. For all the curveballs that exist to being a teacher, that’s a big plus. You work in a team that’s always willing to lend a hand, and whose ultimate goal is to help, and whose purpose is to guide – you get a chance to catch your breath and catch up. And it’s this room for error that has allowed me the time and space to grow into this new vocational skin.
How has your perspective on education and the school environment changed since your days as a student? What challenges or surprises did you encounter in transitioning from the student role to that of a teacher?
In short, my perspective has changed wildly. I used to be the person begging for that half mark that would change my grade into an A*, I used to be the one furiously rushing to finish writing the exam paper even as the teachers bellowed “PENS DOWN!”, and I used to contribute my fair share to the continuous chatter and I remember sloping off to the MC during PE with mumbled excuses – all of that is so, so familiar. But being on the other side of the table feels strange, because I recognize the struggles and the tactics all too well. I understand them because I was them – and reprimanding the same maneuvres makes me feel somewhat sheepish. Obviously, it's my job now so I am certainly going to parrot the same words that I heard my own teachers exclaim, time after time, but I also completely Get It. It’s just with an addendum that I also understand the teacher's frustrations now, “LIKE GUYS, PLEASE BE QUIET, I HAVE TO FINISH THE SYLLABUS!” “And no, I cannot give you a free lesson,” and most infamously perhaps, “no, I will not be giving you one more mark because you asked so nicely because a) you haven’t written the point, and b) the reports have already been closed, the marks uploaded” followed by a series of collective groans. My peek behind the curtain has been eye-opening, and this double dose of empathy/sympathy for the teacher and her pupils has certainly been a peculiar limbo to have been inhabiting.
Looking back, what are some of the significant changes that you have observed in the school environment compared to when you were a student? Are there any specific changes that you believe have had a profound impact on the teaching and learning experience?
I mean, school was far more offline when I was here. We had the good old-fashioned paper pen registers rather than iSAMS, we did not have the smartboards and there were certainly no phones or laptops allowed in any grades so it was a lot more difficult to be ‘entertained’ during lessons, shall we say? I think iSAMS and smartboards have made teaching a lot more interactive and visual, which is beneficial for the students but in some ways, the online-ness has made it very easy to dodge submissions, with the ever-popular excuse of "Miss, I don't have access to a printer," or "I didn’t check my email" – this refusal to write is the biggest roadblock, it’s difficult to get across to them how quickly the exam clock ticks down and they will struggle to finish the papers if they don’t practice from the get-go. Throwing in the all-access smartboards into this mix, it’s very much a double-edged sword. Are they really going to look up something pertinent to the syllabus, or is it just a platform for video games and movies? There’s no way to tell for sure, and there’s a board in every class so how do we keep an eye everywhere all at once? Although one great thing about the chronic online-ness is the advent of Teams, you can still teach if you're homebound; you don't have to worry about missing classes if you're away and struggling to catch up, and while that is decidedly un-fun for the students, it’s always an advantage for teachers to be able to wrangle one more hour of teaching and make it to the finish line before the EOTs!
Reflecting on your time as a teacher, could you share one or two moments that truly stand out as your favorite teaching experiences? What made these moments special or memorable for you?
Well, I haven't been here too long yet, but I think one really special moment was the Children's Day Assembly. It was wonderful to see how the crowd was enjoying themselves, all the students were thrilled and full of laughs. That entire day was just full of nostalgia, warmth and delight and kindness – it was great I think because as every year, it was a chance for the students to see that in fact, their teachers ARE more than the stuffy disciplinarians they know them as and most of us like fun and games as much as (if not more) than they do! And as a bonus, for me, I got to relive those terrifying moments of waiting to/going/being on stage that I remember last from VIVUM '17! By the way, I promise I was better at dancing then ☺️
Another more traditionally rewarding experience in the academic context, is when the students start to really engage with you. I mean, I'm not a monologue-r, I prefer teaching through conversation and having finally reached that point where the students feel comfortable to speak up and offer their ideas in front of the class, to ask questions – personally, that has been a pretty big milestone for me, to have established that crucial rapport with my cohorts.
While you're now shaping the educational experiences of others, what is one of your fondest memories from your own time as a student in our school? How does that memory continue to influence your approach to teaching?
As unsurprising as it might be, I would have to say VIVUM ’17. I’m probably biased but the VIVUM that our batch hosted was spectacular. It’s not just the two days that were a blast but the weeks of preparation leading up to D-Day – and we were still at the last minute, the night before, practicing in the auditorium, snacking and bickering with half the dance still unchoreographed, the mascot flag still incomplete and with everything very uncertain, the decorations were yet to be put up … honestly, until the stalls opened on the amphitheatre lawns, we didn’t know if we would pull off VIVUM; we didn’t know if we were about to disappoint every single one of our juniors who were waiting (as they always do) with bated breath for the annual school-sanctioned bonanza-for-a-good-cause. We had no idea how we'd get everything done, but eventually, the banners went up, the dances were finished, the opening ceremony went off without a hitch and we did it. And from what I remember – we did a great job. I hope, if any students are still here from back then, they might be able to attest to that! But anyway what this last-minute, group project cramming taught me was that no matter how stressed you are, things get done if you’re really committed to them. And that especially holds true, if you're working with your friends, and a bunch of people that all have each other’s backs even when it’s against the wall and the odds seem insurmountable. That’s just my two cents.
Thank you Ms. Priya!