From a Struggling Tutor to an Award-Winning Teacher: Shamim’s Story

In the bustling city of Hyderabad, Pakistan, Shamim stands in front of her Montessori classroom, guiding a group of young girls through a play-based learning activity that teaches them how to talk about bullying. It’s a difficult topic, but her warmth and attention put everyone at ease.

Shamim always wanted to be a teacher. She started out tutoring students in their homes but, without formal education and training, she found it challenging, and often felt frustrated and angry, emotions she took out on the students. This created a barrier between her and the students and made learning and connection more difficult. She could see their learning – and her dream of being a teacher – slipping away.

Everything changed when Shamim became involved with Right To Play’s What Works 1 program in 2015. She joined the program as a volunteer Coach and received training on how to motivate, engage and empower her students. Now, she’s an award-winning teacher who’s been recognized for her teaching and student support.

TRANFORMING THE CLASSROOM THROUGH PLAY

Shamim's Hyderabad classroom is a vibrant space where students are encouraged to explore, question, and grow. She integrates play-based learning into her daily lessons, and her approach is rooted in the belief that children learn best when they are happy and relaxed.

Shamim learned these skills as a Coach in the What Works I program. Funded by UK International Development, the program responded to high rates of gender discrimination, bullying, and gender discrimination faced by many school-aged girls by training teachers and volunteer coaches in how to make learning environments more inclusive and to how dismantle gender barriers using play.

The program ran in 40 schools across Hyderabad. A randomized control trial conducted at the end of the program found that there was a 33% reduction in the number of boys who experienced bullying by their peers. That number was 59% in girls. There was also a meaningful reduction in the number of students who experienced corporal punishment in schools: 45% in the case of boys and 66% in the case of girls.

In her role as a volunteer Coach, Shamim received training on how to prevent violence, how to use positive classroom management techniques, and how to support children’s academic and socio-emotional learning. The training helped her develop patience, control her anger, and use play-based learning to focus students’ energy and promote collaboration and communication.

As her confidence grew, Shamim started taking on leadership roles in the school and in the community. She involved the parents, caregivers, and educators in educational activities and school life, even in the face of resistance from parents, some of whom did not prioritize the importance of education. Her teaching style changed, focusing on empowering students by giving them responsibilities and encouraging them to share their ideas. Her efforts led to an increase in student enrolment and participation in school activities.

"The biggest change was that I proved myself. I was a shy, fearful person who didn't know how to face people. This program gave me the confidence to do so," she says.

Shamim coached many students during those years, but two stand out to her, even 10 years later: Tahira and Mahnoor. Shamim remembers how Tahira was afraid to speak in front of her stepfather but gained confidence after learning about her rights through Right To Play activities.

Mahnoor, too, was shy, as many girls in Pakistan are taught to be. In the program, she learned how to articulate her emotions, and what her rights were and how to claim them. One day, Mahnoor was the victim of a kidnapping attempt on her way home from school. She used the skills she learned in the program to protect herself, biting the kidnapper’s hand and running home. She says it’s what she learned from Coach Shamim that gave her the confidence to fight back that day.

"The skills I taught my students have real-life applications. Mahnoor's bravery is a testament to that.”

EMPOWERING THE LEARNING JOURNEY

Shamim is now teaches primary in a Montessori school and is a passionate advocate for children's rights and education. She uses the skills and knowledge she gained during her time as a Right To Play Coach with her students today, impacting this and the next generation.

Whether she’s leading a group activity or providing one-on-one support, her students are not just passive recipients of knowledge; they are active participants in their own learning journey. The approach has earned her ‘Best Teacher’ awards. She now dreams of working on school curriculum development with the best institutions in Pakistan to make sure the next generation of students has a great start in life.

“I am a teacher because of the confidence that Right to Play has given me. The learning, the experience, and the interactions with the children – everything has been possible because of Right to Play," she says.

Shamim dreams of a future where girls in Pakistan have the same opportunities she had. She wants to see girls become doctors, teachers, engineers, and more. "I want Pakistani girls to have opportunities to build their confidence and prove their worth, like I have proven my worth," she says.

Her message to young girls is clear and powerful: "Believe in yourself because you can become whatever you want to become. If you want to be a teacher, you can become one. If you want to be a coach, you can make it, regardless of your gender. We are all capable of doing everything."