From helping children with special needs to developing a NIPUN Maths Kit, Goel has made her classroom a second home.In 2004, Suman Goel returned to the school where she had once been a student, this time as a teacher. She earned Rs 60 a day – money that helped pay for her college education.More than two decades later, now a primary teacher at the school — GSKV Pooth Kalan in Delhi’s Rohini — Goel has been selected for the National Teachers Award 2026.Goel (41) had topped Class 12 while graduating from the school in 2002. She went on to pursue a BA at Lakshmibai College, but financial difficulties meant she began teaching at the school while still in college. By 2004, she was earning around Rs 1,200-1,300 a month.While she secured a government teacher’s job in 2009, she has been a primary teacher at the school since 2013.For Goel, returning to her old school was more than a career choice. It was a return to an institution she credits with shaping her own life.“I was a student here myself, so I always think that my students should not have to witness the problems that I have faced,” she said.Goel calls herself a “mother teacher” – one who teaches early grades and remains with the same group of children through Class 5, building a bond over several years.Story continues below this adFor Goel, this has meant keeping sweaters and stationery in her cupboard for children who may suddenly need them, conducting tooth-brushing activities twice a week under an ICMR initiative, giving children iron tablets every Wednesday and keeping track of their food under PM Poshan.“Before education, I work on their well-being… the child has to feel safe first,” she said.Her students, Goel said, are mainly first generation learners who come from Pooth Kalan, Krishan Vihar and Mangey Ram Park in the neighborhood. Their parents are mostly contractual labourers, tailors and daily-wage workers. The 41-year-old primary teacher has spent years supporting first-generation learners beyond the classroomHer “mother teacher” role extends beyond lessons. She regularly follows up with parents about attendance, books and any additional support a child may need.Story continues below this adAt dispersal, around noon, she tries to speak to parents as they arrive to collect their children, giving them feedback about the day’s work. “We come to know about the parents’ problems, the parents come to know about their children’s problems, and then we work together,” she said.She also works closely with children with special needs. She recalls two students she recently taught – one with around 90% intellectual disability and another with a heart defect. Initially, they would sit separately from the rest of the class. “I gave them space within the classroom, got them to interact with everyone and worked towards their social acceptance. Creating peer groups for them really helped,” she said.She said all her Class 4 students have achieved foundational literacy and numeracy goals, helped by a NIPUN Maths Kit she developed. The kit was selected at the state level under NIPUN Sankalp.Her students have also participated in state-level drama and presentation events, including at Thyagaraj Stadium. When some of her students reached Class 8, she encouraged 10-12 of them to write about their ideas and connected them with a children’s publishing platform. Their books were subsequently published.Story continues below this adGoel’s own journey could easily have taken a different turn. She studied in Haryana until Class 10 and wanted to take science and become a doctor. But after her family moved to Delhi amid financial difficulties, that path was no longer possible. Teaching became a way to continue her education without placing the entire burden on her family.Her parents died when she was relatively young. She says the teachers who encouraged her and, later, her husband, Gaurav Goyal, played an important role in her professional journey.It was Goyal, a builder, who eventually persuaded her to apply for the National Teachers Award. Goel had already received the State Teachers Award. Suman Goel felicitated with State Teachers Award in 2022.“The application process takes two to three months. I felt that for those months, I will get less time to spend with my family,” she said.Story continues below this adBut her husband disagreed. He arranged the IT facilities she needed at home and pushed her to complete the application.Her family has had to accommodate the demands of her work. Goel’s son is in Class 5 and her daughter in Class 12. She recalls spending Sundays at school while preparing students for state-level events and staying back beyond school hours when required.“My husband and mother-in-law take care of the children. They never pressured me to give preference to my own children over my school,” she said.For Goel, the award is not simply recognition for an individual teacher. It is recognition for the often unseen work done at the grassroots level – where teachers spend years not just teaching children, but understanding the circumstances that determine whether they can learn.Story continues below this ad“This award belongs to all those primary teachers who teach children with their hearts,” she said.Sophiya Mathew is a Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in New Delhi. She joined the Delhi bureau in 2024, and has specialization in Integrated Multimedia Journalism from the Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), Chennai. Professional Background Core Beats: Her reporting is primarily focused on the Environment and Education. Specialization: She has gained recognition for her ground-level reporting on the Yamuna floodplains and the socio-economic challenges faced by those living on its banks. She also focuses on the disparities in Delhi's education system, ranging from elite private schools to government institutions and refugee education. Recent Notable Articles (December 2025) Her recent work has been heavily centered on Delhi's severe winter pollution crisis and the government's regulatory responses: 1. The Air Pollution Crisis "A tale of two cities: Delhi govt schools choke in bad air, private classrooms set up air filters" (Dec 20, 2025): A high-impact feature contrasting the "Clean Air Bubbles" in elite schools with the reality of government school students who are exposed to an equivalent of 17 cigarettes a day due to outdoor exposure. "Delhi sees season's worst air day, second worst December AQI in nearly a decade" (Dec 15, 2025): An analytical report on the meteorological patterns trapping pollutants in the NCR. "Delhi bans non-BS VI vehicles from outside: Why curbing vehicular pollution is key" (Dec 17, 2025): Explaining the science behind targeting specific vehicle vintages to lower particulate matter. 2. Enforcement & Regulations "No fuel at pumps in Delhi without valid PUC certificate from December 18" (Dec 17, 2025): Breaking the news on the environment ministry's strict "No PUC, No Fuel" policy. 3. Education Policy "Law to regulate school fee in Delhi risks becoming procedural, say parents" (Dec 13, 2025): Investigating the loopholes in the new Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Bill, 2025. "Monsoon Session: Private school fee regulation Bill cleared after four-hour debate" (Aug 9, 2025): Covering the legislative passage of the controversial fee hike regulation. Signature Style Sophiya is known for her observational depth. Her reporting often includes vivid details from school corridors, hospital waitlists, or the banks of the Yamuna to illustrate how policy failures affect the city's most vulnerable residents. She is a frequent expert guest on the 3 Things podcast, where she explains the complexities of Delhi’s environmental laws. X (Twitter): @SophiyaMathew1 ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on InstagramTags:delhi