ഇനി എത്ര ദൂരം

 THE BURDEN OF BEING “that BAD Student”

Every classroom is a mix of different types of students, those who grasp lessons quickly and those who take more time, those who silently observe and those who lead eagerly, those who follow rules easily and those who are often seen as “troublesome.” It is natural for teachers to feel irritated or discouraged when faced with learners who seem disinterested, irresponsible, or disruptive. In moments of frustration, it may feel easy to label them as “bad students” or even make sarcastic remarks in front of others. Yet, belittling a child who is already struggling is not only unprofessional, it can leave emotional wounds that last a lifetime.

A student who doesn’t perform well or behaves poorly is rarely doing it out of choice. Behind every child’s behaviour, there is a story. Understanding this story is the first step towards compassionate and effective teaching.

A classroom is like a tiny world of its own, filled with children who come from many different places — not just geographically, but emotionally. Some students walk in every morning from warm, stable homes where someone hugs them, listens to their stories, and helps with homework. Others arrive from houses where arguments echo through the walls, where there is not enough food, or where no one has time to sit with them. A few children come tired, a few come worried, and some carry pain they have never spoken about. They look like any other child, but inside, they are fighting silent battles. Child psychology tells us that children often cannot express emotional distress verbally, so their struggles show up through behavior — irritability, withdrawal, inattention, or sudden academic decline.

So, when a teacher makes fun of a student for being slow, for losing focus, or for being playful at the wrong moment, it is not only the behaviour that gets hurt. It is the child. Their confidence, their sense of worth, their belief in themselves — all of it gets bruised.

Studies in educational psychology show something powerful: children believe what they hear about themselves. If a child is repeatedly called lazy, careless, or troublesome, those words start to echo inside them. They slowly begin to think, Maybe that’s who I am. And when a child begins to believe they are “bad,” they start behaving exactly as they think they are expected to

Rather than wondering, “What’s wrong with this child?” teachers should pause and consider, “What is this child trying to tell me through their actions?”

Every behaviour carries a message. A student who repeatedly interrupts may be desperate for the attention they are missing elsewhere. A child who drifts off into daydreams might be feeling stressed or emotionally overloaded. A teenager who pushes back against rules may be reacting to a sense of insecurity or the absence of emotional support.

Teachers have tremendous influence. A single encouraging sentence can change a student’s direction, while a thoughtless comment can cause deep damage.

Children never forget the teacher who believed in them, especially during difficult times. They also never forget the teacher who embarrassed them. In fact, negative words often echo more loudly and for much longer.

What a teacher says can eventually become the way a child speaks to themselves.

Mocking a student may appear harmless or even humorous in the moment, but those moments can stay with them for years. Students who feel insulted or looked down upon may lose enthusiasm, become withdrawn, or carry resentment. Many eventually stop trying, because they begin to assume they are bound to fail.

Being there for a child, offering a listening ear, a kind word, or simply a moment of understanding, can give them the strength they do not receive elsewhere. Sometimes, the most important lesson a student learns is not from the textbook, but from a teacher who made them feel valued, seen, and safe.

Arsha P P

Head& Assistant Professor of Psychology

Al Shifa College of Arts and Science, Keezhattur, Perinthalmanna