Teaching: A techie switches to the noble profession, learns life lessons

Teaching: A techie switches to the noble profession, learns life lessons Premium

As a teacher in today's modern era, with nearly a decade of experience, I've learned that understanding children's emotions is just as important as teaching them lessons. Over the years, I have attended countless workshops, internal training sessions, webinars, and professional development programs — all focusing on child behaviour and emotional well-being.

Schools, parents, and society now emphasize nurturing every child's emotional health. But at this point, I wish to shed light on something often overlooked — the emotions of teachers.

From the outside, teaching may appear like a calm walk in the park, surrounded by 30 to 40 blooming little minds. Many imagine teachers as cheerful figures, effortlessly managing children, getting tasks done with authority, and spending breaks chatting in the staff room.

I once believed that too. Coming from an IT background, I assumed teaching children would be a smooth, joyful experience — like walking on ice. But reality hit me hard. When I joined as a class teacher, I realised my role was far more than taking attendance or teaching lessons.

A teacher's day begins with arranging the classroom, organizing materials, greeting every child with a smile, coordinating with subject teachers, and being responsible for everything from lost pencils to messy desks. If a student's pencil becomes too short, somehow, we are responsible! We monitor their notebooks, handwriting, projects, food habits, manners, and even whether they share lunch or not.

Beyond academics, we teach values — respecting elders, healthy eating, time management, and reducing screen time. We also prepare children for cultural events, sports day, and assemblies, while simultaneously managing lesson plans, classroom observations, peer reviews, remedial sessions, PTMs, and endless paperwork. The list never ends — and yet, teachers continue with dedication and heart.

Every teacher walks into the classroom carrying both personal and professional emotions. Sometimes we leave behind our own worries at home, yet show a bright smile for our students. The emotional balancing act we perform daily often goes unnoticed, but it requires enormous inner strength.

Over time, I've learned small ways to protect my emotional energy — taking a few minutes of silence before class, sharing laughter with colleagues, journaling about classroom moments, or simply listening to children's stories without judgment. These small pauses become our self-care rituals that keep us emotionally steady amidst daily challenges.

Schools too can play a role in nurturing teachers' emotional health — by creating safe spaces for sharing, appreciating small wins, and encouraging team bonding beyond formal meetings. A happy teacher can make a happier classroom.

So yes, handling teachers' emotions is more complex than handling children's. Despite the workload, what keeps us going is that innocent smile — those bright eyes eager to learn. In those moments, our hearts reset. We remind ourselves that every small effort we make contributes to building the nation's future.

Through stories, art, songs, and play, we shape young minds. Like gardeners nurturing seeds with care, we provide the sunlight, water, and soil each child needs to grow. Someday, these seeds will become the strong forest that sustains and protects our world.

Teaching, after all, goes far beyond ABCs and numbers. It is about touching hearts, understanding unspoken emotions, and reminding ourselves every day that the love we give returns to us a hundredfold — often in the form of a child's smile.

(Deepa Saran is an early childhood educator from Madurai with over 10 years of experience in primary teaching. She is passionate about joyful learning and emotional well-being in classrooms)

Published - October 30, 2025 01:35 pm IST

Source: The Hindu
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