At a Pitampura school, a Class XI student found his voice on stage

When a Class XI student with a stammer stepped on stage for Bal Bharati Public School’s production of *Doctor Faustus*, he delivered his role without stammering, teacher Sonia Chhabra said.

Chhabra, who teaches at the Pitampura school, had cast him in a substantial part despite doubts from some students and teachers. She worked with him through rehearsals for nearly a month, encouraging him as he prepared for the final performance.

“The applause that followed was not merely for his performance. It was for the child who had overcome the fear within him,” Chhabra said.

Teachers often carry responsibilities beyond lessons and assessment: resolving conflicts, counselling students, managing child welfare or safety committees, overseeing transport routes and preparing events. Pallavi Sharma, principal of Mamta Modern School, said much of that work—including individual mentoring—happens out of view.

One educator also described spending lunch breaks with a Class IV girl who had become withdrawn after her mother’s death and changes at home. For Chhabra, such work is part of teaching: “Sometimes, the greatest gift a teacher can give a child is not knowledge, but belief.”