Sharing a friendly dynamic with a guru is the new cool. ‘Namaste sir’ is replaced by a causal ‘What’s up sir?’ and teachers say, “We don’t mind”. On the occasion of Teachers Day 2023, we dissect the unique and modern dynamic college professors share with their students in the present times.
The relationship between college professors and students has evolved for the good. Dr Ananya Mehta, associate professor at the School of Media and Journalism, D Y Patil International University, Akurdi, Pune says, “Even though the dynamic has evolved, in India, we still follow the guru-shishya parampara and respect it too”.
Another college professor, Sambit Pal, HOD broadcasting department, International School of Broadcasting and Journalism, MIT ADT Pune draws a comparison between the past and the present. “It is true that the student-teacher dynamics have changed over the years. Our interaction with the new generation is completely different from what it was during our college days. This is not to say that the professors during my time as a student were not approachable. Today, the conversations between students and teachers are more free-flowing”.
“Free dialogue in a classroom is wonderful and always fosters growth,” adds Jonquil Sudhir, a 42-year-old professor at St Xavier’s College, Goa. “Having a friendly dynamic with students really helps. I personally believe, a student must not fear a teacher and must be able to freely ask questions or share issues. That can happen when teachers make themselves more approachable”. Sudhir ensures she provides her students with an open space where they can express their thoughts and concerns freely without any inhibitions.
While the three professors agree that the relationship between teachers and students has evolved, they also believe that the respect for gurus in Indian students is deep-rooted right from their childhood and will continue to stay solid.
Being friendly to students helps
The landscape of education has expanded unimaginably. Academic journey, career, family issues and peer pressure can take a toll on students which can affect their progress. In this, having a teacher who you can turn to for help goes a long way.
Mehta says that lending an ear to listen to students’ issues makes them feel cared for and heard. It provides them with the strength to manage their issues better when they know they have supporting teachers. “Honestly, it helps us to deal with our life problems. Though our issues might be more complex, students give us a hope we live by”.
Pal believes in changing with the changing times. According to him, students are mature, confident and aware of myriad of things now more than ever. “Even though we are educators, we also get to learn a lot from our students. This is because we openly converse with them”.
Maintaining a relationship that is friendly yet formal enables a free exchange of ideas. Engaging with students outside the classroom, even outside campus and on college trips gives professors a chance to get to know their students better, personally.
Having conversations that need not necessarily be restricted to academics helps professors understand the thought processes of students. Pal says, “I chat with my students regularly which gives me a chance to know what they are up to. Through conversations, when I find out they are headed in the wrong direction, I stop them and try to direct them towards the right direction. Although it is challenging to change the behaviour and attitude of young adults, there is no harm in pointing out where they go wrong. That is what a mentor does.”
According to Sudhir, if a teacher is approachable, students are more likely to learn better, ask questions, clear doubts and be willing to learn more. “Even complex concepts that would otherwise be tough to understand become easy for students when the teacher adopts a freer approach to teaching”.
Additional efforts professors make for students
In the era of social media trends and evolving social concepts, today`s students find themselves immersed in a vast sea of information, all thanks to the rapid advancements in digital technology. Consequently, it is imperative for educators to remain updated and connected with their students` evolving interests and needs.
Mehta says, “I am on every social media platform. My students tell me, ‘Sir, you don’t just download Instagram and keep it on your phone, you have to use it every day.’ They have also taught me to use Snapchat. Now, I consume content on social media regularly. I also share memes and discuss trends with my students. It`s fun. I also incorporate memes in my PowerPoint presentations for students to understand difficult concepts easily and it works. My students have made me tech-savvy”.
For Mehta, the key to understanding students better is to spend more time with them and also try to be like them. This he says, helps us to help students better.
When asked Pal what he does to better understand students, he says, “There is so much to keep up with. I make it a point to watch a new web series or movie or read a book or at least know about it. Keeping up with technology has become especially important”.
Besides this, Pal also takes online courses from time to time to develop new skills to better equip students with knowledge. He is also one of the few teachers who encouraged his students to use ChatGPT, allowed them the time to realise its limitations and explained how they can use the AI tools ethically”.
For Sudhir, it takes a lot of reading to stay updated about the subjects she teaches. It helps her plan her academic portion in a way that is beneficial to the students.
Being friendly vs. being friends: Establishing boundaries
Students cannot agree more on the benefits of a friendly dynamic with the professor reaps. Harsha Chauhan, a PR professional who recently graduated from MIT ADT University, International School of Broadcasting and Journalism, says “Education is fun when professors create a friendly learning environment for students. I have had the best time of my life during the course of my master’s degree simply because of the great professors I had”.
Amogh Golatkar, another 24-year-old photographer and mass media graduate from St. Xavier’s College, Goa says, “College was fun because of my professors. They changed the definition of teachers for me. I have not been an academically bright student, yet they identified my creative potential and encouraged me to unleash the artist in me. For that, I am forever thankful to them”.
Harsha and Amogh believe that professors today are more friendly because they understand the importance of students’ mental health. They are more aware of the challenges students are likely to face in their personal life and academic journey.
Commenting on students taking undue advantage of the professor’s friendly attitude, Harsha agrees there are some students who do tend to cross the line and end up disrespecting the professors. “College students are mature enough to have that conscience and there is a boundary you must never cross”.
Seconding that, Amogh adds, “Sometimes the lines do tend to blur. I, as a student, had a tendency to cross the line, but I have never disrespected my teachers. I am always aware of the value they hold in my life. This awareness never allows me to even unintentionally disrespect them. Besides, teachers always know how to put students in place when they cross a certain limit. You can’t mess with them”.
Rightly said, all three professors, Mehta, Pal and Sudhir enunciate on being ‘friendly’ and not ‘friends’ with the students. “There is a huge difference between being friendly and being a friend,” says Mehta. According to him, every teacher must know to maintain a clear boundary. “It is very important to establish that boundary by the way of your actions instead of words. Your actions should be clear enough for students to understand what is acceptable and what is not”.
Agreeing to this Pal says, “My students are not my friends. Yes, I do spend time with them but I would not allow them to use cuss words in front of me. I will not share a smoke or drink with them. Rather, I discourage them if the topic comes up in any of our conversations too”.
Sudhir prefers taking a stricter approach when dealing with disrespect. “Some do get carried away, get too friendly or even pass a silly comment once in a while. A quick and sometimes not-so-gentle reminder of where we are and how we must behave usually does the trick. College is a few steps away from a career, so it’s important to learn to be professional even at this stage”.
The best part about being a professor
On being asked what their favourite part of being a professor is, all three have the same answer. “We never stop being young at heart in spite of being in mid-40s, all thanks to our students,” they say.
Mehta says, “I can never have a dull day when surrounded by my students. They are full of life and energetic throughout the day”. For Pal, his students bring hope to his life. “Their vibrant spirit makes my day youthful and it also helps me stay away from the burden of getting mentally older,” he says laughing.
Similarly, for Sudhir, the best part of being in the teaching profession is always being between a pool of young talent where each student has their own quirk. She concludes by saying, “Not a day has gone by without learning something new from my students. They push me out of my comfort zone each day that just helps me become a better teacher”.
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