A Teacher’s Day Reflection
As teachers, we have all experienced those magical moments when we can hardly contain our joy.
A child suddenly understands something that seemed impossible.
A quiet student finally raises their hand.
A classroom comes alive with curiosity, laughter and connection.
And then there are other moments…
The classroom feels lifeless.
Learning feels painful or confusing.
Students seem disconnected.
And despite everything we try, we feel powerless to change it.
Perhaps this is one of the great paradoxes of education.
As Parker Palmer reminds us in The Courage to Teach, teaching is not simply about delivering information. It is about bringing our whole selves into the classroom.
Yet, somewhere along the way, education has often become fragmented.
We separate the head from the heart.
The result? Minds that know how to think, but may not know how to feel—and hearts that feel deeply, but may not know how to think.
We separate facts from feelings.
Facts can become distant and lifeless, while feelings can sometimes become the only measure of truth.
We separate theory from practice.
We have theories that may have little connection with real life, and practice that may lack understanding.
We separate teaching from learning.
Teachers talk, but don’t always listen.
Students listen, but don’t always get the opportunity to talk, explore and discover.
So, what happens when we bring the pieces back together?
This is one of the ideas I value deeply in the Brain Gym® program.
We begin with readiness.
In Brain Gym®, we use a simple readiness routine called P.A.C.E.—helping us move towards being Positive, Active, Clear and Energetic.
It is almost like a jump-start for learning.
Before asking a child to learn, perhaps we need to ask:
Are they ready?
Ready physically.
Ready mentally.
Ready emotionally.
Dr. Paul Dennison describes these as the three dimensions of learning—the physical, mental and emotional aspects of learning.
And perhaps this is the shift we need to make in our classrooms:
Not just asking, “What do I need to teach?”
But also asking:
“What does this child need in order to be ready to learn?”
When the body, mind and heart are engaged, learning becomes more than remembering information.
It becomes an experience.
The classroom becomes more dynamic.
Students become more engaged.
Teachers become more responsive.
And learning becomes more joyful.
Because perhaps the goal of education is not simply to fill minds with knowledge.
Perhaps it is to help children become whole learners—and whole human beings.
This Teacher’s Day, I celebrate every teacher who continues to learn, reflect, adapt and try again.
Because being a good teacher requires courage.
And perhaps the best teachers are learners first.
Happy Teacher’s Day!
With gratitude to every teacher who brings their heart, mind and body into the classroom every single day.
References: Parker Palmer, The Courage to Teach; Brain Gym® 101: Balance for Life.
Minaz Ajani has a Master’s in Sp. Ed with a focus on Learning Disabilities. She is an Internationally Licensed Brain Gym®️ , Touch for Health®️ , Movement-Based Learning™️ and RMTI ®️ Instructor and consultant and founder of Manifest Your Potential (http://manifesturpotential.com)