Here’s to the joy of teaching… my answer to everyone who wonders why I teach.
“The job of an educator is to teach students to see vitality in themselves.”
It is always stated that happiness comes from giving, which means there is ample amount of happiness in teaching. I still receive a lot of questions from people around, asking whether this profession actually gives me joy and my answer to them is always with a big wide smile — YES!
I derive the true joie de vivre from teaching. What causes it? I can’t really tell but I am sure it is the vibrations surrounding these tiny tots, full of positivity as they are. Or well, it could be one’s heart that has found its moorings.
As a primary grade teacher, I am motivated by the sheer joy of discovery and understanding that I find in my work. The most rewarding part of my career as a teacher is to work with a student one-on-one and to witness the moment that he or she finally grasps the essence of a new idea. That moment can surprise and delight a student at any level, from day one till the end day of their school career. Sharing that moment, however brief, and no matter which subject matter, instills a sense of great pride and responsibility which continues to motivate me every day to give my best.
The most rewarding part of my career as a teacher is to work with a student one-on-one and to witness the moment that he or she finally grasps the essence of a new idea.
I can still recall so many moments from my teaching career where I have been privileged to see that light bulb flick on. Whether it’s teaching children tricks to improve their writing, or demystifying a concept — it might sound dull but seeing a student who has struggled through writing and seeing words crawling like some earthworms, helping them to see that it is actually no more than a jigsaw of teeny tiny parts that they can easily solve is an absolute joy!
I am allowed to feel this satisfaction of designing and orchestrating complex activities that communicate new ideas and skills effectively. My heart triumphs when I see my students applying the given prompt and ace through everything set before them.
And so a teacher has this great opportunity to intimately observe the young minds of her students, sow the seed of thoughts in their mind — every new idea that is grasped and every new light bulb that lights up, and watch them grow into these wonderful beings. We revel in the wonderful (“wonder-struck”) world of the young ones. In fact, we ‘grow up’ with them, getting renewed and refreshed constantly.
I personally relive my childhood with my students. I live each and every moment of happiness with them, because students in their own way can teach you about being content, innocent. There is a reward that you receive when you are with them, it’s the reward of endearment and appreciation that you receive from both parents and students.
“I love creating spaces where children feel safe to let their freak flag fly. A place where being different is celebrated, where having an opinion is encouraged, where failing is fine and challenging me, their teacher, is expected.”
I do not get to teach any one student forever, of course, but I often work with them long enough to convey a crucial message: that there is much in life to learn — more in fact than any one teacher or school can provide in a lifetime.
Not only do we get to teach all of these young people, we also get to create a safe place for them. I love creating spaces where children feel safe to let their freak flag fly. A place where being different is celebrated, where having an opinion is encouraged, where failing is fine and challenging me, their teacher, is expected. How cool is it that we can provide a haven from external judgment, we have the ability, even if only for an hour of that child’s day where they can feel assured that it’s okay just being them. We can teach subjects and topics that challenge them to develop greater empathy and understanding. We have the ability to make each and everyone of our young people celebrate who they are and what they can do, simply by getting to know them, listening and caring. That’s a gift right there.
I started teaching right after my graduation and my first job was me working for an organization where had to teach drama to children of various schools, which means I basically got to meet MANY students. A year passed by, me serving and doing my job for this organization when finally I decided to bid adieu. I had this lucid memory of an incident that happened in one of the schools where I was teaching. It was my last day with them. As I informed them that I might not be able to see them any more, I turned off to write something on the blackboard and I could see students crying, holding their friends. I was stunned. Stood there for a moment trying to grasp what was exactly happening. They just said, “we will miss you!” — and this was my first reward as a teacher. I realised that day that a teacher works the entire year to build a nest for her students. She tries to build a safe home for them, till they are finally ready to take the next leap forward and soar into the sky.
I realised that day that a teacher works the entire year to build a nest for her students. She tries to build a safe home for them, till they are finally ready to take the next leap forward and soar into the sky.
And now, I have come back to Vishwajyot — my second home! I call it my home because I have closely grown up in the corridors of this school. This is definitely sounding cliché, but all lovely things are supposed to be cliché. I have thousands of memories that I can hark back on, but I guess I will stick to the point — Vishwajyot is my place of learning and now my place of teaching. My mission here is simple: what I’ve learnt from my teachers when I was young, I would like to impart it to my students, now that I am their teacher. The earth is definitely round, and it’s always good to be back home.
This school has taught me that you need to seek opportunities to show that you care. The smallest gestures often make the biggest difference. I’ve had innumerable moments of sweet gestures which I can carry throughout my life, and I would love to mention one of them before I end.
I remember my first batch in 2018 — Class 1G. I was their class teacher, and very close to them as they were my FIRST batch! During lunch, one of my students, Vihaan, was feeling hungry even after finishing all of his food. He just told me that he’s hungry and needed more food. I gave him my tiffin because I couldn’t see him hungry. He happily ate the food, just said ‘Thank-you’ with a big smile.
A year passed by, he graduated to the next class. He used to come see me everyday during our lunch break. One fine day on the day of the annual function I was assigned to be the monitor for his class. We were all sitting and having fun, when out of the blue he asked me,”Ma’am are you not hungry?” to which I said, “Yes I am, but I will have something to eat later.” He disappeared and just went out of the class for some time. He entered the class exactly after 5 mins, with a box full of biscuits and chips (a little of everything). He came to me and he said (which I can never forget), “I remember you gave me your tiffin when I was hungry, today I want to give you mine when you are so hungry.”
SPEECHLESS!! I just hugged him. We all sat together and ate the food he got for me and just chatted away.
Need I say anything more? Who wouldn't find joy in doing what I do, every day of my life? Teaching is all this, and much much more. I would end my article with the following quote.
“[Kids] don’t remember what you try to teach them. They remember what you are.” — Jim Henson
