Every child is unique, and as a teacher, you must constantly adapt
Cristina Mihaela Eftimie
Cristina Mihaela Eftimie is a teacher at “Voievodul Mircea” Technological High School in Târgoviște, where she teaches technical subjects. She graduated from Valahia University of Târgoviște and proudly shares that she was part of the very first graduating class of engineers in Environmental Engineering.
“Voievodul Mircea” Technological High School has 799 students organized into 34 study groups. It is the only UNESCO-associated school in Dâmbovița County and the first school in Romania to be accepted into the International Federation of UNESCO Schools. Over its 100 years of existence, the school has earned a well-defined place among Târgoviște’s educational institutions.
Mrs. Eftimie teaches four classes within the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection track. In 9th and 10th grade, students begin with Environmental Protection as a field of study, and in the last two years of high school, they continue with a specialization. At the end of 12th grade, students also take a Level 4 professional competency certification exam and earn qualifications as Environmental Technician and Environmental Quality Protection Technicians.
She speaks with great warmth about her students and about how she still feels emotional when she meets them for the first time, in 9th grade:
I see them differently every year, from one generation to another. Every child is unique and has their own learning pace, and as a teacher, you must constantly adapt. I am fortunate because I spend many hours a week with these environmental protection students, and I get to know them quite well, to learn what concerns them, what music they like, and what’s new in their world. I learn a lot from them too, every day. When it comes to technology, at least, they are very good!
Beyond classroom activities, she supports students in exploring their future options. Together, they visit university professors, and she is proud when she sees her students interested in pursuing higher education.
“My satisfaction is seeing that they want to attend university, to visit laboratories, to see the facilities and the dormitories. Not all of them have the financial resources to leave the city. I am happy to see them become students, satisfied with their lives, build families, and live well. There is great fulfillment in knowing that perhaps you contributed, even a little, to who they became as people, that you helped shape them.”
She encourages curiosity and a love for the subjects she teaches by guiding students to discover their practical applications.
“In 9th grade, I teach general ecology, and from September, when we first get to know each other, I try to see which of them are, in a way, environmental guardians. We take part together in environmental clean-up activities, such as National Cleanup Day, and my heart fills with joy when I see how enthusiastic they are. It is not easy for them. Time is precious, activities take place on Saturdays, and many commute, but they still want to come, sometimes even bringing a parent along. During Green Week, we go planting trees, and this is how they start asking questions and discovering new things: why we use string, why we dig a fruit tree pit to a certain depth, why we compact the soil around the roots. We encourage them to recycle at home, we instill a love for the environment, help them understand why disturbing this balance is harmful, and in turn, they inspire others.”
When speaking about the role of the teacher, Mrs. Eftimie says it includes several responsibilities, primarily supporting and guiding students, building relationships of trust, and listening to them, beyond the traditional role of simply “transmitting information.”
Children are generally very open, and it is important for them to feel they can trust you and that you listen to them. The teacher must come down among the students, walk between the desks, observe their writing, and use language sparingly, avoiding technical terms. If they understand what you’re saying, something clearly happens at a cognitive level. They are on your side, they start liking the subject, and they begin making connections with real life. This closeness matters greatly. You cannot truly be a teacher if you only try to deliver knowledge. Everything must be intertwined.
Inevitably, more delicate and difficult situations arise, and in those moments, knowing when to ask for help is essential.
“I have a very good relationship with the school counselor. We talk often and many times we ask for support, because we also have students with special educational needs and we want to guide and support them as well as possible.”
She also speaks with admiration about her colleagues, many of whom serve as mentors to those preparing to enter the teaching profession.
“In this way, as a future teacher, you gain access to a classroom first to observe, and then to step into the teacher’s role and teach yourself. Only then can you truly understand whether you see yourself at the front of the classroom or not.” As advice for those considering becoming teachers, she recommends having a great deal of patience, being enthusiastic, and truly loving children.
In our imagination exercise, where we explored what could be done with unlimited resources, Mrs. Eftimie shared that she would like to see a “school for parents” as well, a space dedicated to building a closer relationship between parents and the school. Active parental involvement, openness to suggestions from subject and homeroom teachers, and constant collaboration are directly reflected in students’ academic success.
This article was written by Laura Călin, Institutional Partnerships Coordinator in the Own Your Path program, as part of the Storybook Teachers project, a series of 20 articles about the Partner Teachers of the program.