It was a hot day of August, I entered the class room full of students belonging to different backgrounds, sitting on the desks and taking their lunch. After a short gossip, I observed a child sitting in the corner quietly. Everyone was taking his lunch while the one sitting quietly in the corner was empty-handed. Upon asking why he did not have lunch, the child stared at me with a strange silence on his face. A student
stood up and said, “Teacher, he has lost his mother, and there is no one who could prepare him breakfast or lunch.” Upon hearing these words, the silent face started crying loudly.
Beyond the despairing shock, it was the moment for me to realize that we cannot judge a book by its cover. Apparently, he was a welldressed and happy soul but had many emotional battles within himself.
Thus, the role of teachers is important, as they not only provide education but also shape every child as learners, being the best game changers. Early Childhood Education (ECD) is the backbone for developing a lifelong love of learning. It is the stage where early childhood educators can identify developmental delays and work to address them. In fact, a child’s whole life can significantly be influenced by a teacher. It is up to a teacher either to suppress God-gifted abilities or to nurture them to bring new hope. As an early childhood educator, it was the biggest challenge for me to work on the emotional well-being of a silent student sitting in my classroom. I started working to improve that child and soon noticed a positive change in him. What if we speak a few kind words to someone? What if we enter the classroom with
a smile on our faces? What if we prioritize a child’s emotional needs? I promise this to all the teachers who believe that using a stick is the only way to help students become the best version of them.
Within three months, he had transformed totally. He became the most active student in the class. His happiness was evident in his words and actions because he felt included. He could now interact with his classmates easily, without any shame or humiliation about entering the classroom with an empty lunch box. This case reminds me of the phrase ‘Do not judge a book by its cover’ is attributed to multiple sources, including George Eliot’s ‘The Mill on the Floss’ (1860) and the 1946 murder mystery, ‘Murder in the Glass Room’.
Being humans, we are always skeptical about others and often judge them for their appearance, outlook, features, etiquette, and even their social status/ranks. However, we are always unaware of the hidden side of a picture. We always believe that a smile on someone’s face means he is happy, gloomy face is perceived as a person in sorrow, while a welcoming person is almost considered as a friendly one. As Human hearts are the deep oceans that we can’t explore their deep treasures until we delve deeply the bottoms.
A child’s emotional development should be the first priority for a teacher. A good teacher not only imparts knowledge but also gives students the ability to apply that knowledge. A teacher does not only teach the words, but also instills ability to decide when, where, how to use them. Countless children in Pakistan are ignored, disowned, and labeled as failures, stupid, or duffers in classrooms daily. Instead of working on their emotional and psychological wellbeing, we confine them to pen and paper. What are we really giving them? Exam pressure, homework burden, and a heavy bag full of books and notebooks. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines the preschool age range as 3 to 5 years. In Pakistan, children are directly sent to Grade One, where they are forced to focus solely on pen-and paper
tasks. This is the age when a child needs emotional support, yet, we instill them the fear of being separated from their mother. Early in the morning, at 7 a.m., when the child needs a wholesome breakfast, they are instead forced to wake up and head to school on an empty stomach. Many students even end up at sleeping at their desks.
Allah has given them uniqueness and abilities to grow, we must nourish their soul. A teacher remains with them in their spirit, shaping their journey wherever they go, but only if we provide them with a safe and inclusive learning environment. Such an environment allows them to feel included, respected, and welcomed in all circumstances. This can only be achieved when we accept them as they are, without judging a book by its cover.
Author: Naila Aslam
Email: nailaaslam624@gmail.com
Teacher, English Launguage Expert
