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Student Mentor: Teach for Progress, Peace and Leadership’

‘Student Mentor: Teach for Progress, Peace and Leadership’ is the core vision in my life. Only fifty students can change the whole school in the marginalized rural and unprivileged part in any country. Hence, I made a project that aspires to enhance progress, peace and leadership among the students in the secondary schools in nation building responsible citizens in this era of globalization for a better world. Students are the future of any nation. They are the real change maker and change will come through their hands. Unfortunately, 80% of the marginalized rural students in Bangladesh could not flourish their hidden talent for the lack of proper guidance and leadership. They just come to the school and vomit their memorized study to the classroom. They do not know the real zest of leadership, their responsibilities to the classrooms, teachers, societies, environment above all the world. Hence, they become the brilliant burden to the society and curse for the nation in their real life. Therefore, student-mentor is a great way to bring change from the classroom to a better world the way everyone expects. Keeping those words in my head, I started a mentoring program namely ‘Student Mentor: Teach for Progress, Peace and Leadership’. Initially, I commenced with two rural schools. In one school, I took the students form grade 6- 9. For example, in grade 6 there were 100 students in the class. Then I formed 10 groups and took the 10 brilliant students from that class. Each brilliant student was nominated leader of a group. Then the group leaders are brought into the training center for 5 days residential training. After training they are sent back to their school for the real action to take. However, the group leaders are assigned several tasks for the group which norms they gathered from the residential training. Those are as follows: 1. Increase the daily attendance in the classroom. 2. Ensure assignment and everyone has understood the assignment and home task. 3. Ensure the classroom and the school ground neat and clean. 4. Ensure 100% attendance in every exam. 5. Ensure debate with one group to another group in every week. 6. Ensure pair-work, group-work and individual-work in her/his group during class. 7. Prepare at least 2 wall magazines every year. 8. Organize weekly meeting and ensure regular participation of every member in the assembly. 9. Ensure everyone in the group has planted a tree in their home yard or land. 10. Arrange drama in various festivals. Already, I have got a lot of virtual help form the TIG websites and its discussion board from various scholars around the world and their fabulous discussion as well as ideas. It is noted that the program is totally financed of my own savings. I wanted assistance form the American Center, Dhaka to its Cultural Affairs division (as they support a lot of financial assistance for teaching and learning process) but they did not response to my proposal. However, it would be great if TIG could assist me financial help, I could extend my program to several rural schools to bring the ultimate change for a better world to live. I have got close collaboration and positive supports form the fabulous global scholars and institutions through different platforms such as blogs, social media, skype, e-magazines and e-communication. I try to keep close connection with them and share my program experiences and seek feedbacks form them. They immediately, give me suggestions and feedbacks through the above media. I really appreciate their enthusiastic cooperation and inspirations. However, all the above collaborations and connections are possible through the blessing hand of technology. Every change is possible and always difficult. For taking forward my program ‘Student Mentor: Teach for Progress, Peace and Leadership’, I also have some difficulties in my ways. For example, having all the brilliant students from a school, suitable training venue and 50% female participants are sometimes difficult. Besides, being illiterate and superstitious, most of the villagers do not let their female children go to the training center. In some cases the school authority does not agree to send their pupil to the training center raising security issue.

Bangladesh