When I Stand at the Lectern, I Can Be a 'Teacher' Instead of a 'Mother'

I am shiiimo, a mother of five.
I am currently raising an 8-year-old girl (who refuses to go to school), a 7-year-old girl (with ASD/ADHD),
5-year-old twin boys (the older twin is suspected of having ADHD), and a 1-year-old third son (who is quite a handful).

Mother Becomes Teacher

I returned to work after finishing my maternity leave in late April.
They told me that since things would be busy and unsettled until after Golden Week, I didn't need to teach any classes yet.

To that consideration from my workplace,
"Thank you so much!!! (loud voice)"
I replied immediately, without a shred of modesty.

Now that Golden Week has finally ended,
I stood at the lectern today for the first time in a while.

shiiimo's Job

I work as a teacher at a vocational school.
But if you ask if I am an expert, I don't really have any particular specialized knowledge.

In fact, this field is one of my weak points. (Serious face)

That might be a bit misleading, but to answer honestly, that is the case.

I joined this educational corporation right after graduating from university, and this is the school I happened to be assigned to.
Before I knew it, over 10 years had passed.
(About half of that time has been spent raising children)

Classes in the specialized fields of the vocational school are taught by people who are well-versed in those areas.
Many of them used to work in regular jobs but changed careers because they wanted to try teaching.

So, what do I do?

・Duties as a homeroom teacher
・Job hunting support
・Writing classes to cultivate logical thinking
・Group work simulating job hunting

This is what I do.
In the past, when we were short-staffed,
I would study hard and teach specialized subjects as well.
My boss seemed to notice that I was on the verge of breaking down from trying to balance child-rearing and studying.
One way or another, I settled into this role.

Writing,
and supporting students who are worried about their career paths.
This is a field I can call my strength,
and I find it rewarding.

The First Class

Today, I had them do pair work.

Honestly.
A tendency among my students is that
many are not good at talking,
the discussions lack excitement,
they act like it's a hassle,
and some just can't talk at all.

Hmm, pair work, huh.
I felt a bit of pressure.
(The lesson plans are made by someone else)

However.
Standing in front of people and raising my voice.

Oh, it's been a while since I felt this,
I was feeling nervous and excited.

Thinking, 'Alright, how should I do this?'

That's right.
Here, I am not a mother.
I am a teacher.

Nice to meet you all! I'm shiiimo, and I've just returned from maternity leave. I look forward to working with you!

They are the generation that enrolled while I was on leave, so this was our first time meeting in person.

What I kept in mind was:

To speak clearly and use gestures no matter what.

To summarize the key points.

Since this is the last class of the day, to avoid letting things drag on.

Although I have been working for a long time,
I don't possess any specialized knowledge or incredible techniques.

However,

I try not to do things halfway.
I try not to do anything that would undermine the students' trust.

Those are things I keep in my heart.

The pair work was more lively than I had expected.
Since most of them were near their friends,
I suppose it was easy for them to discuss the tasks and engage with them.

Of course, there were some who were like:

This is such a drag.
I want to go home already.
I'll just skip it and pretend to be working on it.

I could sense that kind of atmosphere from some of them.

You have to do it!!!

I didn't say that.

Do you understand what we're doing now?

If there's anything you don't understand, feel free to call me over quietly when I'm nearby.

Yeah, it's hard to explain things to others, isn't it? I get it.

Hey, what's that game? Not now, show me later.

I wander around the classroom with an 'obachan' style, talking to everyone I see.
Unless I go near them and listen to their voices, it's hard to see what's in the students' hearts.

There's a lot you can't see just by doing this for one day.
I probably still haven't regained my sense for it yet,
and building trust with the students is something that starts now.

However.
Myself as a teacher.

It felt like I had regained a little bit of that, and
I was genuinely happy.

The moment I go to engage with the students.
I knew my heart was leaping.

When the teacher returns to being a mother

“Oh, welcome home, Mom!”
When I get home, my second daughter opens the baby gate and greets me.

My second daughter had gone to the hospital with my husband for her regular eye checkup.
She had left school early to go, so she was in a good mood, perhaps because of that special feeling.

My eldest daughter, who is refusing to go to school, took the day off and went along to that hospital. She looked tired.

The twins were each lounging around.
Since I picked them up early, they had already finished their baths and were lazily watching YouTube.

My third son was crying his eyes out. It seemed he was just too hungry.

Amidst that commotion, my husband had a distant look in his eyes and was lost in thought.
He must be tired. I sympathize.
Thank you for your hard work.

Once I return home, I am a mother and my husband's wife.
I quickly understand what needs to be done and start preparing dinner.

That is my role here.

But I, who am a mother, am also a teacher who stands at the lectern.

The moment I enter the classroom and stand at the lectern.

At that time,
How can I increase the satisfaction of the students in front of me?

I become a teacher who faces that.

Whether as a mother or a teacher, I am, of course, still in training.
That will surely be the case forever, even when I reach the age where I become an old-timer.

But being able to keep learning is
an interesting thing.
I feel that once again.

I am grateful that I
still have a version of myself that is not a mother.

What kind of students will I meet tomorrow?

While feeling excited,
I will become a teacher again tomorrow.

Oh, I don't have any classes tomorrow.
I'll do my best with the administrative work.

My article as a mother.

There is also the side of me that is a geek. It's important.

Thank you again for today🍀
I hope you stay well tomorrow too🫶