The psychosocial environment in a classroom impacts on the experiences of all students. That environment is mostly influenced by the emotional stability of the teacher. Teachers with mental health problems can hurt their students. It is therefore critical that teachers’ mental health and wellbeing be considered as an important area for research.

In this personal reflection, I am going to discuss the main commitments required for teaching in schools in under-resourced communities. In these contexts, teachers must be dedicated to help bring about change in the lives of their students, both academically and socially. Being an educator is one of the noblest of professions; as a matter of fact I boldly say it is the noblest profession. Teachers seek to find a job in a school in a community where they feel comfortable, safe and secure, with the necessary resources to get their job done.