With a heart that beats for the students
Saga Dorani Andersson, teacher of education and responsible for the Behavioural Science programme, is passionate about meeting the students. She loves to sow seeds of knowledge in them and see how they grow and develop.
When Saga Dorani Andersson was a student herself, she was critical of the content of the education and dreaded being released into the labour market. It was only during the last semester that the pieces fell into place, she says.
"It was then that I realized that my newly acquired knowledge had changed me as a person and given me a completely different understanding of the world around me and of individuals and groups. Now that I'm a teacher myself, I think about it – not to lose the student perspective, but to remember to communicate about the content of the courses and what they will lead to.
Based on each individual
She is grateful that in her role as programme director, she has the space to work with relational pedagogy in the meeting with the students. This means that she can start from each individual and support them exactly where they are.
"To convey knowledge and have the opportunity to follow the individual's journey, from student to graduate, is something that my heart beats extra strongly for. Being able to give the students this support and work with them based on their different backgrounds and conditions is very rewarding," she says.
An inner transformation
One of the most rewarding things in the role of a teacher is precisely this to meet the same group of students at the beginning of the education and at the end," she explains.
"I love being in front of individuals who have each undergone an inner transformation – from being uncertain and a new student to becoming a confident, wise and competent individual who is ready for the job market. As a teacher, you also get to learn new things all the time. New students come with new experiences and perspectives that are incredibly enriching.
Respect and Consistency
Saga Dorani Andersson is keen to be a good teacher for her students and has a clear idea of what such a teacher should be like. Never losing the student perspective is on the checklist, as is clarity and dialogue.
"A good teacher is a teacher who does not compromise on the exercise of authority, the rule of law or in any other way lower the requirements that are set for higher education, and at the same time, within these given frameworks, they make the adaptations and applications that are possible to make accessible education for all students regardless of background. It is a teacher who walks in the students' shoes to try to see their activities in different perspectives. A good teacher is clear, educational, respectful and consistent. It also communicates with the students and conducts dialogue with them, and works with student influence where possible.