In the stillness of my home, I sit before a screen, waiting for my students to join.
The names appear one by one, small boxes replacing the bright, lively faces that once filled my classroom.
As a teacher, I have witnessed many changes in education but nothing as profound and unsettling as what we are facing today.
The current situation in Bahrain has brought uncertainty into every aspect of life.
Schools, once vibrant spaces of laughter, curiosity, and growth, now exist in a virtual world.
While online learning has ensured continuity, it cannot replace the warmth of being together.
I miss the spontaneous questions, the shared smiles, and even the small moments of discipline that shaped our daily rhythm.
Teaching is not merely about delivering lessons; it is about building relationships.
We have the quiet ability to read our students beyond their words, we could sense the confusion in their eyes, the anxiety in their silence, or the heaviness of a bad day they couldn’t explain.
A simple glance, a pause, or a gentle question ‘Are you okay?’ was often enough to reach them – that made all the difference.
Now, behind muted microphones and switched-off cameras, those silent struggles often go unnoticed.
As teachers, we try our best to adapt, but the emotional distance is undeniable.
The cancellation of examinations has added another layer of complexity.
While it may bring relief to some students, it also leaves many feeling uncertain about their progress and future.
Assessments were never just about grades,they were milestones, moments of reflection, and opportunities to grow.
Without them, both teachers and students are navigating without a clear sense of direction.
Yet, amidst these challenges, there is resilience. I see it in students who log in despite difficulties, in parents who support learning at home, and in teachers who reinvent their methods overnight.
Education continues, not within the walls of a school, but within the determination of a community that refuses to give up.
Still, I long for the day when classrooms will once again echo with voices, when learning will return to its natural, human setting.
Until then, we carry on teaching through screens, holding on to hope, and believing that this phase, like all others, shall pass.
Because at the heart of education lies a simple truth: it is not the building that makes a school, but the people within it.
And no distance, can take that away.
Aswathy Rajesh
&uuid=(email))