When I became a student teacher I thought I would just be teaching lessons, checking papers and helping pupils. But I didn’t expect to be cleaning dusty rooms, lifting chairs and painting garden fences. I’ve come to realize these things are also part of being a teacher.
Let me share with you Madlang Hive! some of the unexpected but unforgettable experiences I’ve had.
Today wasn’t a typical classroom day. No lesson plans, no standing in front of students, no quizzes to check. But in many ways it was just as meaningful maybe even more. It was a day filled with cleaning, lifting, painting, sweating and laughing because I wasn’t alone. I spent the day with my co-student teachers, and together we got our hands dirty literally for the good of the Inoburan Elementary School.
It started with the stock room.
Our cooperating teacher asked us to clean it and we all agreed without much thought. But when we opened the door, we just stared for a moment. The room was overflowing with old books, papers, broken and dusty chairs, plastic boxes and so much more.
We didn’t know where to start. But once we got moving everything slowly came together.
We grouped ourselves before starting the task of cleaning the stockroom. It was a big job, so we decided it would be better to divide the work among us. Each of us took on a role some were in charge of wiping the wooden chairs others swept the floor.
It was really dusty and messy inside so we worked together as a team, things became easier and even fun. We talked, laughed and helped each other as we cleaned every corner of the room. Even though it was tiring we didn’t mind because we were all doing it together.
A few of us were in charge of sweeping the floor the others began sorting through the mountain of old books and papers scattered around the room. It felt like we were cleaning a forgotten room that hadn’t been opened in years.
We also discovered old books and story books. Even though they were old, faded and fragile you could feel the presence. We decided to save a few that were still useful and carefully placed them in a separate echo bag.
Even though it was physically tiring there was a lot of joy in what we were doing. We shared stories while cleaning, sang songs softly in the background and occasionally teased each other when someone sneezed because of the dust.
We also supported each other. When someone looked tired another would take over their task or offer them a drink. It felt like we were not just classmates but real teammates working towards the same goal. No one complained instead, we encouraged each other to keep going.
That day, we didn’t just clean a room we built stronger bonds as co-student teachers. We learned how much teamwork and cooperation can achieve. We also learned the value of hard work even if it’s not part of a formal teaching task. It reminded us that being a teacher sometimes it’s about doing the dirty work behind the scenes to make the school a better place.
When we finally finished the stockroom looked completely different. The wooden chairs which were once scattered and dusty, were now cleaned and neatly arranged in one corner.
The area that used to be full of clutter were now organized with books, folders and old teaching materials stacked properly. Looking around we couldn’t help but smile. All the effort, sweat and teamwork were worth it. From a dark messy space the stockroom had become a clean and become useful room once again a space that teachers could now use with ease.
After we finished cleaning the stockroom, we thought we could finally take a break. But our cooperating adviser approached us and gently asked if we could help move some plastic chairs into a new room. Even though we were already tired and sweaty we agreed without complaining. We knew we were there not just to teach but to help in any way we could.
The chairs were stacked in an old room and we had to carry them under the heat of the sun. Some of us carried two at a time others carried three. It was tiring, but we made it fun. We joked with each other, laughed at our clumsy moments. We even made a small game out of who could carry the most without dropping anything.
When we brought all the chairs to the new classroom, we arranged them nicely in rows. It felt good seeing the room slowly take shape. It wasn’t just about moving chairs it felt like we were preparing a space for learning.
The next day, just when our bodies were still sore from moving chairs and cleaning the stockroom, our cooperating teacher gave us a new task. This time we were assigned to paint the cement garden in front of the school.
We started by painting the entire cement area white. That was the base coat. At first. We tried to be neat after a while paint was everywhere on our hands and clothes. We couldn’t stop laughing at each other. Some of us didn’t even realize we had paint on our noses until someone pointed it out.
Once the white paint dried, we began the fun part using blue, red, and yellow to make a square pattern. It was like making a giant checkerboard.
We took our time to measure and align the colors properly. We wanted it to look neat and cheerful. We encouraged each other and fixed any mistakes together.
The sun was hot and we were already tired from the past few days of work. But we stayed positive. We joked around played some music and helped each other finish tricky spots. Our hands, arms and even our clothes got messy with paint but none of us complained. It was fun to be creative and work as a team.
After a few hours, the garden looked completely different. The benches were now clean and colorful and the plant boxes looked fresh and lively. The simple mix of blue, red, white, and yellow was more than enough. It brought joy to the space.