Over 50 yrs’ experience as teacher, 84-yr-old Clemencia D’Couto says, kids make her feel young

Mangaluru, Sept 5: What started as a passion now is an integral part of Clemencia D’couto’s life. Ms. D’couto has been instrumental in framing the early foundational years of more than 3000 children in the Mangalore region. She has been teaching Pre-Kindergarten, LKG and UKG classes for more than 5 decades. 

Ms. Clemencia has worked for many institutions in Mangalore and currently teaches at Early Learning Centre Kindergarten. Besides, she actively takes part in training teachers. Apart from working with children and teachers, she loves gardening, creating things out of waste, designing and stitching clothes.  

“ELC is my second home”, she gushes when asked how she feels teaching every day.  “The management has been very understanding of me, the children, teachers, parents and support staff love me, and I love them too. It’s wonderful to be part of the ELC family”  
 
Ms. Clemencia believes that a warm hug from children every morning and evening is what keeps her healthy and going strong. Talking about her initial days in teaching, she says that she first started teaching out of passion and love for kids, slowly she got trained in it. She fondly remembers, her first salary being Rs. 60/- way back in 1969. Going back in time, she recollects that though Montessori material was available earlier, nobody knew how to use it, but today things have changed, and she is happy that it has changed for good. 
 
Ms. Clemencia is an inspiration to all. She proves that age is not a number and that dedication to a worthy cause can help us all reach beyond our set boundaries. Teaching being her passion, she is a role model to everyone of excellence, hard work and persistence.  It is the joyfulness of little ones and the community of loving caregivers that she cherishes at the end of the day!