Planting Seeds, Not Demanding Blooms: A Teacher's Perspective on Disengagement.

#DoctorsNoteRandomDiary

Every night, a small part of my brain called default mode network (DMN) takes over, even when I'm not consciously analyzing the day's events. It's like a tireless analyst, dissecting each moment. Tonight while making milk for Yusuf, DMN fixated on a troubling event. In class, some students chose to play in the field instead of engaging in the lesson. My heart sank. Why the disinterest? A torrent of questions flooded my mind: Was my teaching dull? Was the subject irrelevant? Was it this or that? The spiral of self-doubt threatened to pull me under. But then, like a sudden sunrise, an epiphany struck. As long as my core values, my love for teaching and learning, remain aligned with my goals, such moments of disengagement shouldn't trigger sadness. Although students's disengagement is such a poison that I know some of the best brains going silent due to that which brought loss to fraternity more than anything. But my purpose isn't defined by every student's every response. It's about the joy of the journey, the spark of curiosity I ignite in some, the seeds of knowledge I plant. So, I took a deep breath, refocused on my core values, and let DMN settle back into its quiet corner.

Tomorrow, I'd teach with renewed passion, knowing that even if the field beckons some, others will find their own path to learning, guided by the light I offer.