Only students are not nervous
New teachers have to make as many preparations as fresh students to get passing marks from the scholars they teach

By Jyotsna Singh
New Delhi, July 10: First day of college. New peers, new colleagues, new environment, new classrooms and a new designation. All this is enough to make any fresher nervous. We are not talking of students; we are referring to the fresh teachers who are going to teach for the first time.

For a new teacher life is as exciting as a fresh college student. S/he goes through the same anxiety as a ‘fachha’ would. There is homework to be done in the form of preparing lectures, new dresses to be bought and stitched and wishes to be taken from the friends to be able to handle the naughty crowd of college students. There have been cases when teachers were literally made to run out of the class when they did not meet students’ expectations. At other places response is more sophisticated, but embarrassing nonetheless.

Once a colleague narrated the story of how a new lecturer was nearly into tears on her first day in class. The history lecturer got appointed in St Stephen’s College, Delhi University. After finishing the lecture she was asked so many questions by the bright students that the particular class became a nightmare for her.

But everyone has a savior. The department head came to her rescue the next day and later she went on to become head of the department and handled many such cases for other juniors.

All are no so lucky. Prahalad Singh recounted his 30 years old experience when he went to teach law in Government College, Karauli, Rajasthan. This was his first appointment and as topper of his university he was confident of handling all the queries. On reaching college the first day he was told that students do not usually come to classes unless there is a new teacher to be harassed. He started being nervous. The HOD also said that it uis a ritual and he can’t really be helped!

On entering the class Singh saw that most of the students were present and before he could finish lecturing them they threw numerous questions on him. He played a trick and asked students to find answers themselves and then discuss in the next class. Thus, he bought some time for himself.

Vartika Kumawat who has just joined the management department of Delhi University came back from home 20 days before the beginning of the session to prepare for the classes. Her major worry was how will she revise everything within that much time and be able to prepare well to answer instant questions.

Amrita Sasrty, a new faculty in the sociology department of Christ College, Bangalore, was bothered about what to wear to be able to look different from the students. This is a one of the oft quoted troubles for new faculty as the age difference between them and senior students is hardly any. She also spent the whole of summers preparing to teach.

“I am going to teach the course family, marriage and kinship to graduate students. This is one of the core sociology courses and I have been reading it for many years. But teaching is a different ball game. I do feel nervous,” says Sastry. She visited many libraries collecting material to teach since receiving the offer letter.

So, those who thought that it is only teachers who evaluate and make students perspire, think again. Our teachers also face us – sometimes they triumph, other times they just pretend to have succeeded.