A generic presumption about teaching makes it a uni-directional exercise though it’s multi-directional. On the one hand, it enables students to learn the content, know the facts, understand the phenomenon, analyse the mechanisms, and develop skills and attitudes. On the other hand, similar components are enhanced among teachers to update their knowledge and meet the advanced requirements of teaching-learning as well as students’ needs and demands. Consequently, teaching itself becomes a multi-dimensional yet learning exercise for both.

Moreover, teachers are generally attributed to reading ideas, writing thoughts, generating discourse, and convincing the community. It seems teachers have certain powers to challenge and change the pre-determined beliefs and stereotypes practised in society. For instance, teachers challenge conceptual understanding and change it, and thousands of growing personalities are transformed. While doing so, teachers transform themselves implicitly as they are involved in student grooming. Nevertheless, it is crucial to recognise and acknowledge their contribution in the form of humanistic transformation.

One day, a students’ favourite teacher was cheerfully sharing her successful teaching experience. Meanwhile, probing led her to reflect on how she developed the science and art of teaching, an earlier missing aspect. Surprisingly, she began her career in banking before realising her passion, serving the community instead of passively sitting in a bank. Gradually, she contributed to the community by nurturing children to grow and develop. Thus, began teaching as a profession.

The mentioned transition from a banker to a teacher was not linear. She viewed teaching as a calm profession that transformed her personality; it included showing affection to kids, developing patience, becoming tolerant, and enjoying behaving in a childlike manner with children. She considered it the major shift in her personality because initially, it was difficult to interact, tolerate, and act like a child, but now, teaching has transformed her into the opposite self. The individualistic transformation enabled her to develop a positive attitude towards children and empowered her to take up the responsibility of students’ learning and development. Correspondingly, it seems that teaching is a tool for personal and professional learning and development.

Considering this, one may ask whether our teachers are aware of this or not. If yes, then why are they not learning and developing themselves instead of relying on the external trigger in the form of training? A similar discussion was carried out with a post-graduate student from the education department.

That discussion brought up the key factors, including intrinsic (i.e., the reason for choosing teaching as a profession) and extrinsic (i.e., the teaching experience). Arguably, the consensus was built upon the idea that teachers who intrinsically select teaching as a profession enjoy and avail the opportunity for their learning and development.

To quote an example here, an MPhil fellow of mine was inspired by her teachers and joined teaching to raise children and serve the community. The journey of MPhil in education contributed to her realisation of the criticality of the teaching profession. She proclaimed that expectations are put on teachers by students, parents, the community, and the school administration. To live up to those expectations and grow, teachers need to create and innovate their teaching in a way that serves to develop both students and themselves as well.

Similarly, the ones whose teaching experiences are privileged and productive enough cash the opportunity to grow and develop. Meanwhile, the negatively triggered factors behind the choice of teaching as a profession result in creating a negative impression and attitude among teachers that might lead to a failure in the profession. To sum up, it can be said that teaching is a progressive profession that is affected by and affects the learning and development of both – students and teachers. For instance, it becomes a lifetime learning and development opportunity for intrinsically or extrinsically motivated.