When a BRKM graduate returns to teach
For many former students, Baranagore Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama High School remains connected with morning assemblies, familiar corridors, demanding lessons, and friendships that continued long after graduation. For Arindam Chatterjee, however, the relationship with BRKM Reunion became more personal when he returned to the school as a teacher.
Arindam graduated from BRKM in 2008 and later studied English literature before beginning a career in education. Years after leaving the campus as a student, he found himself standing before a classroom filled with young faces. The experience brought back memories of his own school days, while giving him a new responsibility: helping current students become confident, thoughtful learners.
This interview explores why he returned, how his experience as a former student shapes his teaching, and why alumni involvement can strengthen a school community. It also shows how a graduate can remain connected to BRKM through mentoring, educational support, and meaningful service.
The decision to come back
What first made you consider teaching at BRKM?
I never planned the decision in a single moment. Teaching had gradually become important in my life through tutoring, volunteering, and conversations with younger students. I discovered that I enjoyed explaining difficult ideas and seeing someone gain confidence after understanding a concept.
BRKM was always present in the background. When I visited the campus for an alumni gathering, I noticed how much the school had changed while retaining its familiar character. I began thinking about whether my professional experience could be useful there. The idea of returning as a teacher felt both exciting and slightly intimidating because I knew the expectations of the institution from the student’s side.
Did your memories of being a student influence your choice?
Very much. I remember teachers who expected discipline but also took time to understand individual students. They taught us that education was connected with character, responsibility, and service. Those lessons stayed with me longer than many textbook details.
Returning to BRKM allowed me to contribute to the same environment that shaped me. I did not want to recreate my school days exactly. Students today face different pressures, including intense competition, changing technology, and uncertainty about future careers. My goal was to carry forward the values I received while responding to the needs of a new generation.
Seeing the classroom differently
What was the first day like when you returned as a teacher?
The first day was emotional because every part of the building seemed to contain a memory. I remembered where I had waited before an examination and which staircase students used between periods. At the same time, I had to focus on lesson plans, attendance, classroom management, and the individual personalities in front of me.
Being an alumnus created an immediate connection, but it did not remove the need to earn the students’ trust. They were curious about my school experiences and asked whether the teachers had been strict with me. I answered honestly, while making clear that their classroom should be a space for serious work and respectful discussion.
The biggest difference was perspective. As a student, I mainly noticed the visible part of a teacher’s work: the lesson, the homework, and the examination. As a teacher, I now see the preparation behind every class. A successful period depends on planning, patience, flexibility, and the ability to explain one idea in several different ways.
Has being a former student made teaching easier?
It has made certain conversations easier. I understand the nervousness that can come before examinations and the embarrassment a student may feel after making a mistake in front of classmates. I also know that a quiet student is not necessarily uninterested. Sometimes a learner needs time, encouragement, or a different explanation.
However, familiarity with the school can create its own responsibility. Students may assume that an alumnus will be more relaxed about rules. I have had to show that kindness and discipline support each other. A teacher can listen carefully, acknowledge difficulties, and still maintain high standards.
Lessons that travelled with him
Arindam believes his BRKM education shaped the way he approaches both knowledge and people. He remembers school competitions, group activities, and occasions when students were asked to take responsibility for a task. These experiences taught him that confidence is built through participation rather than delivered through lectures.
He also recalls the importance of teachers who connected subjects with life beyond the classroom. A literature lesson could lead to a discussion about ethics, society, or human behaviour. A science activity could encourage curiosity about the world around us. That broad outlook now influences his own teaching style.
Which lesson from your teachers do you use most often?
I try to remind students that progress is usually the result of regular effort. Many young people become discouraged when they compare themselves with classmates who appear to learn faster. I tell them that a steady routine, honest self-assessment, and willingness to ask for help can change their performance.
I also try to praise specific effort rather than offering general compliments. If a student improves an argument, organises an answer more clearly, or helps a classmate understand a problem, that deserves recognition. Students need to know what they are doing well so they can repeat it.
The values of service and empathy are equally important. Academic achievement matters, but education should help students become dependable members of their families and communities. I want them to see success as something that carries responsibility.
An alumnus in a changing school
The experience of returning to BRKM is different for every graduate. Some alumni come back as teachers, while others support competitions, donate educational materials, guide students about careers, or take part in medical and community programmes. Each form of involvement adds another layer to the relationship between the school and its former students.
| Area of involvement | How alumni can contribute | Value for students |
|---|---|---|
| Academic mentoring | Offer subject guidance, study advice, and examination support | Greater confidence and improved learning habits |
| Career exposure | Share professional experiences and explain different study paths | A clearer view of future opportunities |
| Educational resources | Provide books, devices, scholarships, or learning materials | Better access to essential support |
| Wellbeing initiatives | Assist with health camps, counselling links, and awareness activities | Stronger physical and emotional wellbeing |
| Community programmes | Help organise competitions, service projects, and reunions | A deeper sense of belonging and responsibility |
Arindam has seen how valuable it can be for students to meet alumni from varied backgrounds. A former student working in education may explain one route, while another alumnus in the arts, business, medicine, technology, or public service can show that a meaningful career does not follow a single pattern. A recent feature on alumni career paths reflects this wider value of staying connected after graduation.
How should alumni engage with current students?
The most useful support begins with listening. Alumni should understand what students and teachers need before deciding what to offer. A programme designed without that conversation may look impressive but fail to address the real issue.
Regular mentoring can be especially effective. Even a monthly session can help students ask questions they may not raise during a busy school day. Alumni can discuss study techniques, subject choices, communication skills, and the realities of professional life. They can also explain setbacks, which helps students develop a more realistic understanding of achievement.
Teaching beyond textbooks
For Arindam, classroom teaching is only one part of his role. Students often need help with confidence, communication, time management, and decision-making. These abilities influence academic performance and prepare young people for further education and employment.
He encourages students to speak during lessons, work in small groups, and present their ideas without fear of immediate perfection. When a student gives an incomplete answer, he tries to identify the useful part before correcting the mistake. This approach keeps the classroom demanding while making it safer to participate.
Technology has changed how students find information, but access to information does not automatically create understanding. Arindam asks students to compare sources, identify assumptions, and explain ideas in their own words. He wants them to become careful readers rather than passive receivers of online content.
What support do students need most today?
They need guidance in filtering information and managing pressure. Students see many examples of success online, but they rarely see the years of preparation, uncertainty, and failure behind those stories. Teachers and alumni can offer a more balanced picture.
They also need opportunities to discover their strengths. A student who struggles in one subject may excel at public speaking, design, organisation, sport, music, or helping others. School should provide room for these abilities to develop. Academic results are important, yet they represent only one part of a student’s potential.
Building a lasting alumni connection
A graduate who returns to teach can become a bridge between different generations of the school. Arindam understands the language of current students because he recently occupied a similar place in the institution, while his professional experience allows him to offer a wider perspective. This connection can make alumni participation feel practical rather than ceremonial.
He believes BRKM Reunion can help create more regular channels for such involvement. Reunions are valuable occasions for renewing friendships, but the alumni network can also support continuing programmes throughout the year. Study centres, educational material drives, competitions, medical camps, and assistance for disadvantaged and meritorious students give former students clear ways to serve.
Useful involvement may include:
- Volunteering for subject-based mentoring or examination preparation
- Sharing career experiences with students from different academic backgrounds
- Sponsoring books, stationery, technology, or scholarships for students who need support
- Assisting with health, cultural, sporting, and community programmes
- Recording memories and institutional history for future generations of BRKM students
What would you say to graduates who want to help but feel they have little time?
Start with something manageable. You do not need to organise a large programme or make a major donation to become involved. A short mentoring session, a contribution of books, or an introduction to a useful resource can make a difference.
Consistency matters more than scale. If several alumni each give a small amount of time, the combined effect can be significant. The school community benefits when former students treat their connection as an ongoing relationship rather than something limited to an annual gathering.
What he hopes students remember
Arindam hopes his students remember that education is a long process. Marks may open a door, but curiosity, discipline, kindness, and resilience help a person continue through the next stage. He wants students to leave school with the confidence to learn independently and the humility to keep improving.
He also hopes they will understand the value of returning to their communities. A former student does not have to become a teacher to contribute. Alumni can support younger learners through professional advice, practical assistance, financial help, or simply by making time to share an honest experience.
Would you return to BRKM again in the future?
Yes. Teaching here has shown me that a school remains alive through its relationships. Buildings and routines change, but the connection between teachers, students, and alumni can continue across decades.
I would like to see more former students visit classrooms, speak with learners, and participate in support programmes. When students see alumni returning to serve, they understand that education is connected with gratitude and responsibility. Perhaps years from now, some of them will return in their own way.
A graduate’s journey does not end when the final examination is over. For some, it leads back to the classroom as a teacher. For others, it leads to mentoring, donations, health initiatives, reunions, or quiet acts of support. BRKM Reunion gives these connections a place to grow.
Former students can help keep that circle active by registering with the alumni community, sharing their experiences, and taking part in upcoming activities. Every contribution strengthens the bridge between BRKM’s past and its future—and gives today’s students more encouragement as they begin their own journeys.