“A teacher who knows why they teach can overcome almost any challenge in the classroom.”
Have You Forgotten Why You Became a Teacher?
Let me ask you a question.
When you first entered a classroom as a teacher…
What was in your heart?
Was it paperwork?
Examination duties?
Report cards?
Parent complaints?
School inspections?
Probably not.
Perhaps you dreamed of inspiring children.
Perhaps you wanted to make learning joyful.
Perhaps you wanted to become the teacher you once admired as a student.
Somewhere along the journey…
That purpose became buried beneath responsibilities.
The teacher is still there.
But the joy has become hidden.
The Japanese have a beautiful word for this.
Ikigai.
It means “a reason for being” or “the reason you wake up every morning.”
For a teacher, Ikigai is much more than a career.
It is remembering why you chose to educate young minds in the first place.
A Lamp Does Not Shine for Itself
Look at a lamp.
It burns quietly.
It does not ask who appreciates its light.
It simply shines.
A teacher is like that lamp.
Every day, you illuminate minds.
Sometimes students thank you.
Sometimes they do not.
Sometimes parents appreciate your efforts.
Sometimes they question them.
Sometimes your work is recognised.
Sometimes it goes unnoticed.
But if a lamp starts worrying about who notices its light…
It may forget to shine.
Purpose is what keeps the light alive.
When Teaching Becomes a Routine
Many teachers begin their careers with excitement.
Years later…
The excitement slowly becomes routine.
The timetable becomes routine.
The lessons become routine.
Even the smiles become routine.
Nothing is wrong with the profession.
The connection with purpose has simply weakened.
Ikigai reminds us to reconnect.
Not with our workload.
But with our “why.”
Why Did You Become a Teacher?
Take a moment.
Close your eyes.
Ask yourself honestly.
Why did I become a teacher?
Was it…
To complete the syllabus?
To conduct examinations?
To finish administrative work?
Or was it…
To change lives?
To build confidence?
To ignite curiosity?
To help children discover their potential?
Your answer to this question is your Ikigai.
Four Questions Every Teacher Should Reflect On
The Japanese often describe Ikigai as the meeting point of four important questions.
1. What do you love?
Do you love explaining ideas?
Helping children?
Watching students grow?
Joy begins with love.
2. What are you good at?
Every teacher has unique strengths.
Some tell wonderful stories.
Some inspire curiosity.
Some patiently guide struggling learners.
Some make difficult concepts simple.
Recognise your strengths.
Then continue sharpening them.
3. What does the world need?
Today’s children do not only need information.
They need:
- Compassion.
- Critical thinking.
- Creativity.
- Confidence.
- Character.
Teachers shape all of these.
4. What value do you create?
At the end of each day…
Ask yourself,
“Did someone leave my classroom better than they entered it?”
If the answer is yes…
You are already living your purpose.
The Difference Between a Job and a Calling
There is a subtle difference.
When teaching becomes only a job…
Every challenge feels heavy.
Every complaint feels personal.
Every extra responsibility feels unfair.
But when teaching becomes a calling…
Challenges become opportunities to grow.
A calling gives meaning to effort.
Purpose transforms pressure into possibility.
How to Rediscover Your Ikigai
Purpose is not found once.
It is rediscovered repeatedly.
Here are five simple practices.
1. Celebrate Small Successes
Do not wait for awards.
Celebrate when:
- A shy child speaks confidently.
- A struggling learner improves.
- A parent thanks you sincerely.
Small victories remind us why we teach.
2. Keep a Teacher’s Gratitude Journal
Every evening…
Write one sentence.
“Today I made a difference when…”
Over time, these moments become powerful reminders of your purpose.
3. Continue Learning
Purpose grows when teachers continue growing.
Attend workshops.
Read books.
Observe classrooms.
Learn from your students.
The day learning stops…
Teaching loses its freshness.
4. Build Relationships
Children rarely remember every lesson.
They remember how a teacher made them feel.
Every meaningful relationship strengthens your purpose.
5. Take Care of Yourself
A teacher cannot pour from an empty cup.
Rest.
Reflect.
Spend time with family.
Walk in nature.
Read something that nourishes your mind.
Purpose needs energy.
Something I Have Realised
After years of working in schools, I noticed something remarkable.
The happiest teachers were not necessarily those with the lightest workload.
They were the teachers who never lost sight of their purpose.
Whenever difficulties arose…
They remembered why they had chosen this profession.
Purpose gave them resilience.
A Classroom Challenge
For the next seven days…
Before entering your classroom…
Pause for one minute.
Ask yourself:
“Whose life can I positively influence today?”
Not,
“Which lesson will I complete?”
When purpose enters the classroom before you do…
Everything changes.
A Story You May Never Hear
Many years from now…
A former student may not remember the chapter you completed.
They may not remember the marks they scored.
But one day…
Someone may say,
“My teacher believed in me when I had stopped believing in myself.”
Perhaps they will never tell you.
Perhaps you will never know.
Yet your purpose has already fulfilled itself.
Teaching is like planting a tree.
The one who plants it may never sit in its shade.
But generations after will.
Final Reflection
The world often measures teachers by results.
Marks.
Ranks.
Reports.
But life measures teachers differently.
By the confidence they build.
The kindness they show.
The curiosity they awaken.
The lives they quietly transform.
Do not allow paperwork to bury your purpose.
Do not allow routine to replace your joy.
Return to your Ikigai.
Because a teacher who remembers why they teach…
Will always discover how to continue teaching with enthusiasm.
🌱 This Week’s Teacher Challenge
Take a blank sheet of paper.
Complete this sentence.
“I became a teacher because…”
Write without thinking too much.
Keep that paper inside your lesson planner.
Whenever you feel tired or discouraged…
Read it again.
Sometimes…
The greatest motivation is not something new.
It is remembering something you once knew.
Reflection Question
What inspired you to become a teacher?
Share your story in the comments.
Your journey may inspire another teacher who is searching for their own Ikigai.
Regards
Praveen Athinagaram
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