My Journey to Becoming The Best Teacher | Bangladesh

My Journey to Becoming The Best Teacher

I, Mohammad Jamal Uddin, am currently serving as a Senior Teacher in Physics at Chittagong Cantonment Public College, along with fulfilling the responsibilities of a Senior Academic Coordinator. From a young age, I nurtured a deep aspiration to become a teacher, and to realize that dream, I had to overcome numerous challenges along the way. Before stepping into the teaching profession, I had a keen interest in writing, which was fueled by a significant background.

During my childhood, I had a strong passion for playing football. I spent my formative years—childhood, adolescence, and youth—in the Kobigunakor Lane on the western side of Askar Dighi in Chittagong. We used to play football on the paved roads of Kobigunakor Lane in the afternoons. I fell and broke my hand many times, and even now, my slightly crooked hand bears the evidence.

When I was in the 8th grade, one day, I was playing cricket in front of the gymnasium area of Chittagong Stadium. During the game, I went to bat without wearing a helmet, and a bouncer delivered by a classmate hit me hard under my cheek. This caused my tongue to get severely split between the upper and lower sets of teeth, leaving only a small portion attached on the right side. Subsequently, my brother-in-law, Mohammad Shahid Ullah, took me to Chittagong Medical College Hospital, where my tongue was stitched. I continue my journey in life with that stitched tongue.

Following this accident, my family imposed restrictions on my sports activities. As a result, I ventured into the world of writing. Winning a national award during my school life brought me to the attention of the highly respected educationist and then-headmaster of Chittagong Municipal Model High School, A.K. Mahmudul Haque, who was a National Best Teacher awardee. His exceptional skills, honesty, dedication, and above all, his passion for his work deeply inspired me. It was then that the latent desire to become a teacher was awakened in me. Later, I began my teaching career at the very institution he founded—Chittagong Ideal School and College.

There is a story behind my opportunity to teach at Chittagong Ideal School. Since becoming a teacher was my ultimate goal, I completed my B.Ed from Chittagong Teachers' Training College in 2001, even before starting my career. My results were quite good—first division with a scholarship.

The teacher I followed and sought inspiration from to enter the teaching profession, A.K. Mahmudul Haque Sir, was someone I considered it my duty to inform about my results. I felt that not informing him would be a crime. So, I went to Sir's office at Chittagong Ideal School in Jamalkhan to meet him. Along with me, I took a "job application letter."

Following Sir's instructions, I went to submit the application and found that several other applications had already been submitted. On the morning of December 30, 2001, I went to the Victory Fair at Outer Stadium. My newly bought mobile rang. My sister called to inform me that someone from Ideal School had come and asked me to contact the school.

In a hurry, I went to the school and learned that my recruitment exam was scheduled for January 3, 2002. This was my first-ever recruitment exam at any school, and I passed it. I was asked to join the school by January 12.

It was a rare and overwhelming blessing from Allah that I was able to start teaching under the guidance of the very teacher who had inspired my desire to teach. Thus began my journey of closely following my beloved teacher—walking along the path with a star, so to speak.

A.K. Mahmudul Haque Sir ignited the spark of becoming a teacher in me. And it was the revered teachers of Chittagong Teachers' Training College (TTC) who truly shaped me into the teacher I am today. Among them were Shahidul Amin Chowdhury Sir, Akhtar Hossain Kutubi Sir, Shamsuddin Shishir Sir, Forhad Uddin Ahmed Sir, Abdul Khalek Sir, Prince Sir, Bishnu Sir, Humayra Panna Madam, Sumitra Boroa Madam, and many others who were "the architects of shaping teachers."

From 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM, we underwent what felt like a rigorous process, often referred to as torture by many, but in reality, it was the creation of the foundation of a bright world—the guiding principle of "becoming the creator of humans." The lessons were tough, and the training demanding, but in that discipline lay a precious treasure: the blueprint for becoming educators.

Kutubi Sir was strict about lesson planning, while Shishir Sir's approach was filled with warmth and care. Forhad Sir's personality, Khalek Sir's exceptional eloquence, and Bishnu Sir's sweet words were all sources of inspiration that helped me shape myself as a teacher.

One of the key opportunities for developing leadership skills was participating in the student representative council election. The atmosphere was vibrant and festive, and from a desire to lead, I ran for the post of Annual Co-Secretary. The prominent social worker, Syed Mohammad Morshed Hossain, currently the acting president of the Mother and Child Hospital, was elected secretary, while my friend Mridul Kanti became the co-secretary.

Though I lost the election, I was given the responsibility of hosting the cultural program, which was an honor.

On January 12, 2002, I began my journey in the teaching profession by joining Chittagong Ideal School & College at 8:00 AM. The first day was just an introduction, and it was with the warm smile of the late Science teacher Abu Taher Majumder Sir that I was welcomed into the school. The administrative branch of Ideal School, which served as the girls' campus, was located in a two-story building near Jamal Khan Salima Siraj Madrasa. However, the main branch of the school was in the remote village of Harinkhane in Patiya. The boys' section where I was posted was situated opposite the southern gate of Mohsin College. The boys' section was a semi-pakka tin-shed building in the shape of the letter 'L,' with an open field in front.

At the boys' section, I was warmly received by colleagues such as Shibli Nomani, Mohammad Alam, Saiyadul Alam, Shiuhi Madam, Hena Madam, Shaker Ullah Sir, Kausar Sir, and Sakhawat Sir. They all treated me with great respect and affection. Being a direct student of Chairman Sir (A.K. Mahmudul Haque Sir), they were all excited to have me on board.

It was at the boys' section of Chittagong Ideal School where A.K. Mahmudul Haque Sir worked. Just as we teach our students by holding their hands, he also taught me the secrets of becoming a good teacher, by guiding me step by step. He entrusted me with various responsibilities, such as being in charge of committees, conducting scholarship coaching classes, being a class teacher, organizing and presenting programs, and many other duties. He would take a step back, trusting me to handle things on my own, and I would carry out the tasks successfully, constantly honing my skills.

However, the driving force behind fulfilling these responsibilities was not just my desire to perform well, but also the desire to win the admiration and affection of my beloved teacher, Sir.

After learning that the teachers of the institutions run by the trust were not eligible for MPO (Monthly Pay Order), I began to feel uncertain about my future. I started looking for recruitment announcements from renowned MPO-affiliated institutions. One day, I saw an advertisement in the newspaper for a teaching position at Chittagong Public School & College (now Chittagong Cantonment Public College) and decided to apply.

On March 10, 2006, I received a letter to appear for the written exam at 9:00 AM. I arrived at 8:00 AM and found that the examination hall was already full. The exam, scheduled to start at 9:00 AM, was delayed and began at 10:00 AM, lasting until 12:00 PM. It was announced that the results would be given that afternoon, and those selected would have an oral exam the next day, March 11, 2006.

While waiting for the results, I gathered some information about the institution from Belal Sir, the exam supervisor, and learned that they were hiring teachers for a newly launched English medium program. As I had been teaching in the Bengali medium, I became a little disheartened at the news.

That afternoon, I had to attend the M.Ed final exam at Chittagong Teachers' Training College at 2:00 PM. After completing the exam at 5:00 PM, I rushed back to the public school. When I arrived at 6:00 PM, I saw many others waiting for the results. I sat in the Globe Courtyard of the school, enduring the mountain mosquitoes as I waited.

At 8:00 PM, then Vice-Principal Mahbubul Alam Chowdhury Sir announced the results, and those who had passed were informed they would attend the oral exam the following morning. It was my second recruitment exam, and as I mentally prepared for the oral exam, I returned home at 10:00 PM.

The next morning, I arrived at the oral exam, filled with both excitement and fear. Relying on my self-confidence, I faced the questions from the selection committee, which included Brigadier General Mozafar Ahmed (then President of the Management Board), Colonel Shah Murtuza Ali (then Principal), Vice-Principal Mahbubul Alam Chowdhury, Government Representative Hossain Ahmad (Teacher at Nasirabad Government Boys' High School), and Professor Tarit Chakraborty. I was able to answer confidently, breaking free of my initial nervousness.

On the evening of March 11, 2006, I learned that I had passed the oral exam and would be required to participate in a sample teaching demonstration the next morning, March 12. Along with me, there were three other candidates for the science teacher position. However, I had an SSLC exam duty at Chittagong Police Line School at 10:00 AM, and the sample teaching at the public school was scheduled for the same time. I was concerned about being able to attend both, and when I found out that the order of the subjects for the demonstration was Bengali, English, Math, and then Science, I decided to skip the sample teaching and focus on my official SSLC duty.

The looming cloud of doubt was whether I would be granted leave from Ideal School to join the new job, which created a sense of unease. The next day, March 29, 2006, I went to Ideal School and informed my colleagues about the job offer from Chittagong Public School. They all congratulated me warmly. After school hours that day, I went to the public school and received my appointment letter.

The appointment letter mentioned the deadline for joining by April 4, 2006, the government pay scale, and other benefits. However, it stated that the position was "Temporary Assistant Teacher (Science)." The word "temporary" caused me significant discomfort. After discussing with my brother-in-law, a government employee, and other well-wishers, I learned that according to government regulations, all jobs are considered temporary during the probationary period. Only after satisfactory performance and evaluation would the job be made permanent, along with full benefits as per the institution's rules.

This understanding sparked a new sense of ambition in me to prove myself on a larger scale. On March 30, after submitting my resignation letter, the school management became concerned. I was approached in various ways to reconsider leaving the job. The following day, March 31, I was called to an urgent meeting of the Board of Directors. The Managing Director of Ideal Trust and other directors tried to convince me to stay, offering a salary equal to the public school and even proposing a future role as branch head. I requested two days to think it over before making my final decision.

In a moment of profound belief, I found myself at a crossroads. My utmost respect for my teacher, who had taught me the essence of becoming a teacher, and the chairman of Ideal Trust, A.K. Mahmudul Haque Sir, led me to a decision.

A true teacher, I believed, always puts the interests of their students above their own. This core belief became the foundation of my actions that day. That afternoon, I went to A.K. Mahmudul Haque Sir's residence, "Garibalaya," located at Jamal Khan Lichubagan. He was already aware of my resignation letter, making it easier for me to present the entire situation to him.

Sir was well-versed in the details of Chittagong Public School and College and asked me about the facilities there. I showed him the appointment letter from the public school. He read it thoroughly and became thoughtful. I reassured him, saying, "Sir, if you tell me to go, I will; if not, I won't." With that, I entrusted the decision to him.

He responded, "Jamal, it's true that we need you, but I can't hold you back from a bright future. You should go, and I will speak to the principal to arrange your release."

My belief in Sir was unwavering, and that belief was now intertwined with deep respect. I prayed for him, knowing that he is now watching over his student, becoming the "best teacher" in heaven. The day I had the honor of placing soil on his grave near the Miskin Shah Mazar in Chittagong, I felt it was one of the greatest blessings of my life.

 To be continued…………..