If you had met me a couple of years ago and asked this question, "What do you see yourself doing after a few years? ", my response would have been, "Anything else besides being a teacher." But life is an endless spectrum of uncertainties. Here I am working as an English teacher in a public school as a Teach For Nepal Fellow. I found out teaching English language to the children who have minimum exposure to the language can be difficult and it requires a lot of patience and persistence.

My students are like the raw stones waiting to be molded into a masterpiece. It's pretty obvious that each individual needs a lot of time and effort to be molded into the perfect sculpture. But when I have to deal with more than 160 students (40 per classroom), carving the perfect sculpture for everyone may not be possible.

But, it's not impossible!

I know it takes time. I can only do the best that I can.

Many children in public schools are scared of English. They feel incompetent. Hence, as a teacher, I am trying my best to create an environment for the kids, where they can speak English without fear.

"It's okay to make mistakes; I'm here for a reason." that is what I constantly tell my students whenever they feel shy to say something in the classroom. Now, this isn't just something I would say it once and believe children will magically start doing well. I have to keep encouraging them time and again.

It’s been about eight months that I have been in the classroom. In my journey of this Fellowship, so far, I've learned that children bring the best as well as the worst in me. There were times when my patience was tested and there were times when I was proud of myself.

At times, I was troubled by self-doubts and anxiety attacks because I was so focused on MY PROBLEMS. But, over the last several months, I have learned that whenever I have let off my own selfishness and focused on the need of my children, I see that I have laid out the path of improvement in my children.

I have learned to be patient! As they say, great things are done by a series of small things brought together.