The hopeful smile on Veniana Mudunavosa’s face when she speaks to children shows the affection she has as their teacher.
She is a teacher who has 32 tiny tots under her care at the Suvavou Kindergarten.
Married with six children, her tenderness as a mother is reflected in her patience and sincerity when dealing with her students.
She treats them like they’re her own children.
She said her love for teaching started when she taught Sunday school classes at church.
“I quickly got myself enrolled at APTC and got a Certificate in Education that has allowed me to teach,” she said.
“I have been teaching for the past 10 years as an associate teacher, basically assisting teachers during classes.
“Now I teach and do not assist anymore.”
She said being a teacher had its fair share of challenges.
“It’s a challenge teaching young children because some children tend to come to school with different behaviours. At school they are taught to be kind and to treat each other with respect,” she said.
“We mould them individually so they adjust well to their learning environment because we want them to get along in class.”
She said one of the things she loved the most about teaching young children was that they never forgot who their first teacher was.
“Even if I’m walking down the street or buying something at a shop I would get called or get a ‘hello madam’ by a child that I once taught and that is rather fulfilling – to be remembered by a student.
“When I’m at home I have that motherly role and when I come to school I try to incorporate that to how I teach my students so they feel safe at school.
“As a teacher you have to understand children and what they go through daily.
“Some children might come from broken families or are raised by single parents while some being nurtured by their grandparents.
“As a teacher we have to appreciate children’s ability to come to school and learn something new daily.
“I make sure that their wellbeing is looked after when they come to school like making sure they have a meal during lunch time at school.”
She said she was the sole breadwinner in her family, but her sister in Australia also assisted her and her family at times.