Ms. Riya had always loved teaching. But lately, she felt something was off. The classroom often spiraled into chaos, and she found herself losing patience more frequently. Every time a student disrupted the lesson, she reacted instinctively—raising her voice, handing out punishments, and feeling a growing frustration that lingered long after the school day ended.
One particular day, a loud argument broke out between two students, Aryan and Sameer. Without thinking, Ms. Riya slammed her hand on the desk. “Enough!” she shouted. The entire class fell silent. The fear in their eyes stung her heart, but she couldn’t stop herself. Her emotions had taken over.
That evening, she confided in her colleague, Ms. Smitha, who had recently attended the New-Age Teachers Training Program when she worked at her previous school. She smiled knowingly. “It sounds like an amygdala hijack,” she said.
“Amygdala what?” Ms. Riya asked, puzzled.
Ms.Smitha explained, “The amygdala is the part of our brain responsible for emotional responses, especially fear and anger. When we feel threatened, it hijacks rational thinking, making us react impulsively. The training in the previous school, helped me manage this and respond to students with patience rather than reacting instinctively. We should ask our school to organise such training. It changed my approach to teaching forever.”
Days passed by and the school management agreed to teachers request and organised for the program. Desperate for a change, Ms. Riya enrolled in the program along with other teachers from her school. Over the next few day, they learned about emotional regulation, mindfulness, and techniques to manage classroom disruptions without letting their emotions take over. She practiced deep breathing, pausing before reacting, and using positive reinforcement instead of punishment.
The transformation was remarkable. One day, when Aryan and Sameer got into another argument, instead of reacting impulsively, Ms. Riya took a deep breath and calmly approached them. “Let’s talk about this. What’s upsetting you both?” she asked.
The boys hesitated but eventually explained their sides. Instead of escalating, they worked towards a solution together. The rest of the class watched in amazement. Ms. Riya felt a newfound sense of control—not over the students, but over herself.
Soon, the entire school noticed a shift. Teachers who had attended the training were more patient, classrooms were calmer, and students were more engaged. The old methods of punishment and strict discipline were replaced with understanding and positive guidance. The school became a place where emotions were acknowledged, not feared.
Ms. Riya smiled as she reflected on her journey. The day she learned about amygdala hijack was the day she truly became a teacher—not just of subjects, but of emotions, resilience, and self-awareness. She knew she would never teach the old way again.
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