From classes first to fifth, I studied at Maho Primary School in Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras district, and to my luck, since 2018, I have been a teacher here! That’s why this school is very special to me. When I was a student, we didn’t have certain facilities that I have made available for the children now.

When I was a student here, all the children used to sit on mats, and not everyone wore a uniform. So, I thought that I would usher in reforms to make things better. I started instilling discipline in my school, so that children could study with curiosity and understand that education plays the most important role in life. Children used to often run away from studies, so I started teaching them according to their preferences. I teach them by showing instructional videos on my mobile phone.

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I try to identify and nurture the talents within the children by singing with them and having them dance. It makes them confident. I also read aloud stories, which helps the children learn while listening. For those tiny tots who struggle with writing, I teach them to write by guiding their hands.

Also, I engage with the children, become their friend, and teach them. This helps them feel comfortable expressing themselves and asking questions without hesitation. Since I live in the same village, I often interact with the children’s parents as well. Previously, there were no parent-teacher meetings in the school, but now I have started organising them. Now, the children even write leave applications in Hindi themselves when they need a day off. If I happen to miss a day of school, the children ask, “Why didn’t you come to school, ma’am?”