My First Teacher’s Day as an Actual Teacher

For the past couple of months, I have been mentoring a number of children and teaching them creative writing. I won’t tell you how amazing and refreshing it has been. I won’t tell you how much I have learnt. While all those points are valid and true, I just want to talk about an experience and how it has changed my perspective on life. 

I teach five batches at the moment, all of them filled with kids from different cities, cultures, backgrounds, etc. One such batch of 7 to 9-year-olds has become my favourite. I look forward to teaching them, meeting them and just talking to them. They always teach me fun animal facts, for example, did you know that even though the Cheetah is the fastest animal, it cannot run fast for a long time? The Pronghorn Antelopes have more stamina than a Cheetah! I certainly had no clue. 

One day, we were waiting for all the kids to join so I decided to ask them what they did during the week. Excited, they all scrambled and returned moments later to show me their drawings, paintings, lego craft and what not. Being conditioned to squeal in excitement every time a friend showed me something they’re proud of, led me to have the same reaction with them as well. I hyped their work up, told them how proud I was and mentioned how talented they were. When a boy showed me that his lego tower could move, my jaw automatically dropped in fascination. Satisfied, we went about our class. However, the story doesn’t end there. 

The next time we had a class and before I could say anything, a kid spoke up, “Ma’am, I have made a drawing, can I show it to you?” What do you think my answer was? Soon enough, it became a ritual. 

I started doing it with my other batches as well and all of them, no matter what age, showed equal excitement to showcase their work. Not only was it a way to connect with them, but it was also something they needed to hear. 

All they really needed was for someone to say how proud of them they were. Someone to say that they were doing a good job. You should see their faces when they tell me a lame joke and I pretend to fall off my bed laughing. It’s like a switch turns on within them. 

Suddenly, they want to work harder, they want to perform well. They just want to hear that they are good enough. That they are doing a good job. That their work matters. We keep seeing pretentious  Instagram posts on how important positive reinforcement is but never really understand the gravity of it until you hold the power to actually make someone believe it. As a teacher, I do. There is no greater feeling. 

So here’s to me, living my dream of teaching and impacting lives. To my teachers, only the good ones though, who inspired me to become one. Most importantly, my students whom I absolutely adore. 

P.S: If nobody has said it to you today, let me be the first one. You’re doing an excellent job, keep at it. I am proud of you! <3