Why the words our teachers said still shape who we are

Long after the school bell rings and textbooks are stored away, a handful of memories remain. Sometimes it is a strange classroom habit, a moment of unexpected reassurance, or a quiet phrase that changes the course of an entire life.

Looking back at those early years brings back memories that can still make students laugh, reflect, or reconsider how much their teachers influenced them. It may come from the way they respond to their student and the sense of assurance they provide when things are otherwise uncertain.

Tap here to add The Daily Star as a trusted source

Reflecting on a period when her circumstances kept her away from school, Farida Islam, a university student, recalled how one of her teachers became much more than that to her.

“If I could say something to Mamun Sir today, I would tell him how much his presence during that time mattered to me. Some teachers teach you lessons you remember for an exam, but some leave an impression that stays long after you stop being their student,” she said.

A teacher's guidance can quietly steer a student towards possibilities they might not have considered otherwise. For Islam, that encouragement played a part in a decision that affected her academic journey. “He said ‘yes’ before I was confident enough to say it to myself. That simple moment of belief ended up opening doors that shaped what came next for me.”

Image

The way a teacher speaks to a student can matter more than what they teach. A few encouraging words can become a source of confidence, especially when they come from someone the student looks up to.

Rafiul Alam Mahi, who’s currently working in a reputed multinational company, remembers how one teacher's playful way of addressing him gradually became a source of confidence.

“My teacher used to call me Einstein and Plato in front of everyone. I was shy about it at first, but eventually it made me more confident, and I think he played a real role in making me believe I could be good at maths!”

And then there are the memories that survive simply because they were too funny or unusual. For Tasnubha Afroz, one of her most vivid memories from the classroom comes from a childhood fear that now feels almost comical.

“Our class teacher used to tell us that she could see from behind and had a third eye at the back. I genuinely believed her and used to look at the back of her hair to see if there was actually an eye there,” Tasnubha said, unable to hold back a laugh.

Years may pass after a student leaves the classroom, but some teacher-student connections can return in ways that can leave a lasting sense of fulfilment.

Faizur Rahman experienced this when an unexpected reunion with his first school teacher led to an opportunity he never imagined as a child.

“Years after my first class teacher from school was transferred, I found out that he had started living in the same lane as I did and still remembered my name. Later, I got the opportunity to tutor his younger child, and it felt like a genuine full-circle moment.”

But a teacher's influence is not always remembered fondly. A remark that means little to the person saying it can take on a very different weight for the student hearing it.

Wadiah Ashrafi still remembers how one teacher's words changed the way she approached participating in a group setting.

“I used to love mathematics until a teacher made fun of anyone who got an answer wrong. After he told me I might not be intelligent enough for the subject, I started avoiding answering questions, and I still hesitate before speaking when I'm not completely sure I'm right.”

A teacher's influence can sometimes be understood only years later.

We mostly never know which part of our presence as students, or theirs as teachers, will stay with us for years to come. This Teachers’ Day, perhaps the most fitting tribute is to remember not just what our teachers taught us, but what they left behind in us.