More Than Just Lessons: How Do Teachers Make a Difference

Happy Teachers Day, Teachers help us discover our hidden talents, often before we even notice them ourselves. They act as guides and second parents who teach us important values like kindness, discipline, and how to handle life's challenges. Beyond just teaching lessons, they work hard to support our growth and shape the world around us. This article is meant to honor the deep, meaningful impact teachers have on our lives. Here we have gathered some inputs from Tr. Sakshi Kale Facilitator (English), let us read what she has to say on the same. This Teachers Day 

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1. Tell us a little about yourself and how you became a teacher.

I have always felt that teaching is more than just a profession; it is an opportunity to influence a child’s life in a meaningful way. My academic journey began with a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature, followed by a Master of Arts in English Literature. I then completed my B.Ed. in English and History, and I am currently pursuing further studies to continue developing my knowledge and skills as an educator.

My journey into teaching began with young learners. I started teaching because I genuinely enjoyed being around children and watching them discover the world for the first time. What drew me towards teaching was the idea that every day in a classroom is different. You are not just teaching a subject—you are helping children develop confidence, curiosity, communication skills and the courage to try.

Over time, teaching has become a very important part of who I am. I believe that a good teacher should always remain a learner, and I look forward to continuing to grow both personally and professionally as an educator.

2. When did you first decide that you wanted to work with children?

I think I discovered it gradually rather than deciding it on one particular day. I have always enjoyed interacting with children, but it was when I actually entered a classroom that I understood how rewarding it could be.

Young learners have such an honest and curious way of looking at the world. They ask questions without hesitation, celebrate even the smallest achievements and remind you to look at ordinary things with wonder. That really attracted me to teaching.

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3. What was your first day like in a classroom? What do you remember the most?

My first day was a mixture of excitement, nervousness and a little bit of uncertainty. I remember walking into the classroom and suddenly realising that all these little faces were looking at me, waiting for me to guide them.

What I remember most is how quickly the children made me feel comfortable. Their innocent questions, little conversations and enthusiasm made me realise that I didn’t have to be perfect I just had to be present, patient and willing to understand them. That first day taught me something I still believe today: sometimes children teach you how to teach them.

4. What was the most challenging thing for you?

The biggest challenge has always been understanding that every child is different. Two children can sit in the same classroom, hear the same explanation and still understand it in completely different ways.

As a teacher, you have to constantly adapt—your pace, your examples, your activities and sometimes even your expectations. Managing a classroom while ensuring that every child feels seen and included is challenging, but it is also what makes teaching meaningful.

5. Was there a moment when you thought that maybe this is not the job you want to do?

There have definitely been difficult days. Teaching can be emotionally and mentally demanding. There are days when a lesson doesn’t go as planned, a child is struggling, or you feel that despite all your efforts, something isn’t working.

But I don’t think I ever truly felt that teaching wasn’t for me. Instead, those difficult moments made me question how I could become a better teacher. Whenever I saw a child finally understand something they had been struggling with, or become more confident, it reminded me why I chose this profession.

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6. How do you teach something as simple as reading, writing or mathematics to a child who learns differently?

I don’t believe there is one correct way of teaching a concept. If one method doesn’t work, I change the method, not the child. For reading, I may use phonics, stories, pictures, sounds and repetition. For mathematics, I try to bring concepts into real-life situations using objects, games and activities. Some children learn by listening, some by seeing, some by doing, and some need more time and repetition. The important thing is to identify how a child understands best and then create an environment where they don’t feel embarrassed about learning at their own pace.

7. What happens when a child refuses to participate or has a difficult day?

I don’t immediately assume that the child is being difficult. I first try to understand what is behind the behaviour. Sometimes a child may be tired, overwhelmed, upset or simply not ready to participate. I give them some space, talk to them gently and try to bring them back into the activity without making them feel forced or singled out. Children need boundaries, but they also need empathy. A difficult day doesn’t define a child, and one unwilling moment shouldn’t become a label.

8. What would you consider a big achievement for one of your students?

A big achievement isn’t always getting the highest marks or winning a competition. Sometimes it is something much smaller but much more meaningful. For one child, it could be reading a sentence independently. For another, it could be raising their hand for the first time. For a shy child, speaking confidently in front of the class can be a huge achievement. For me, progress is measured against where the child started. When I see a child becoming more confident, independent and willing to try, I consider that a real success.

9. Can you tell us about a student whose progress has stayed with you?

There have been children who initially struggled to express themselves or participate confidently in class. Watching them slowly come out of their shell has been incredibly special. I remember noticing how a child who would initially hesitate to answer even simple questions gradually started participating, speaking with confidence and interacting more freely with classmates. What stayed with me wasn’t one particular academic achievement—it was the change in the child’s confidence. Those moments remind you that sometimes a teacher’s greatest contribution isn’t what a child learns from a textbook, but what they begin to believe about themselves.

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10. What is the most memorable thing a student has ever said or done for you? Can you describe exactly what happened that day?

One of the most memorable moments for me was when a child did something very simple but incredibly heartfelt. After a normal day in class, a student came up to me and expressed how much they liked having me as their teacher. It wasn’t a grand gesture or anything planned—it was just a spontaneous expression of affection and trust.

I remember that moment because it came completely unexpectedly. As teachers, we spend so much time thinking about lesson plans, activities, assessments and classroom management that we sometimes forget how deeply our presence can affect a child. That little moment reminded me that children may forget a particular worksheet or lesson, but they often remember how their teacher made them feel.

11. What have your students taught you that no textbook could?

They have taught me patience, adaptability and the importance of celebrating small things. Children have also taught me that there is rarely only one way to look at a situation. They ask questions that adults sometimes stop asking because we become accustomed to the world around us.

Most importantly, they have taught me that learning is not one-sided. I may enter the classroom as the teacher, but I leave every day having learned something from them too.

12. Has teaching them changed the way you look at success?

Absolutely. Earlier, success might have seemed like achieving a particular result or reaching a particular goal. Teaching has made me realise that progress matters just as much as achievement.

A child’s success cannot always be measured by marks. Sometimes success is confidence, kindness, independence, curiosity or simply having the courage to try again after making a mistake. I now see success as growth, becoming a little better, a little more confident and a little more capable than you were yesterday.

13. If you had to describe your students in three words, what would they be, and why?

Curious, expressive and resilient.

They are curious because they constantly want to know why and how. They are expressive because they don’t hesitate to share their feelings, opinions and wonderfully unexpected thoughts. And they are resilient because children can have a difficult morning, make a mistake, get upset, and then come back a little later ready to try again. That ability to keep moving forward is something I deeply admire in them.

14. If one of your students reads this article someday, what would you want them to know?

I would want them to know that I am proud of them, not only for what they achieved, but for who they became while learning. I would want them to remember that they never had to be perfect to make me proud. Making mistakes, asking questions, taking your time and trying again are all parts of learning. Most importantly, I would want them to know that wherever life takes them, they should always remain curious, kind and confident enough to believe that they can learn something new. If they remember even one thing from me, I hope it is this: your progress matters, your voice matters, and you are capable of more than you sometimes believe.

Teacher's Day Quotes

Find below these quotes that can add depth and resonance to your Teachers' Day speech, highlighting the impact that educators have on their students and society. 

• A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops. — Henry Adams
• Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world. — Nelson Mandela
• It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge. — Albert Einstein
• A good teacher is like a candle – it consumes itself to light the way for others. — Mustafa Kemal Atatürk
• The best teachers teach students how to think, not what to think. — Unknown
• The greatest gift a teacher can give is to help students discover their own potential. — Unknown
• One child, one teacher, one pen, and one book can change the world. — Malala Yousafzai

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