06/02/2026
I have been told more than once that my job is easy.
That all I do is sit in a car and tell people where to turn.
So let me explain.
I did not just wake up one morning and become a driving instructor.
I passed three separate tests before I was even recognised as qualified to teach.
Every day I deal with pupils who get upset and frustrated.
Pupils who laugh after nearly causing a serious incident.
I still show up.
I still smile.
I still carry on.
I deal with parents questioning progress, booking tests without asking whether their child is ready, and expecting me to let them “have a go” on a real test when the basics are not there.
I still smile.
I still carry on.
I deal with other drivers intimidating learners, cutting across them, tailgating them, and performing dangerous manoeuvres while I am managing risk, keeping the pupil calm, and preventing something going very wrong.
I still smile.
I still carry on.
Every pupil is different.
Some freeze.
Some panic.
Some give up.
Some simply do not understand the first explanation.
My job is to find another way.
Then another.
Then another again until it finally clicks.
I still smile.
I still carry on.
I teach pupils with anxiety, ADHD, physical disabilities, learning difficulties, and complex needs.
I adapt.
I slow down.
I change my approach.
I do everything I can to help them succeed safely.
I still smile.
I still carry on.
This is only a small part of what the job actually involves.
Ask yourself this.
Could you explain every single thing you do when you drive?
Every decision.
Every observation.
Every reaction.
Miss one small detail and that is the difference between understanding and confusion.
Could you stay calm with an overbearing parent demanding answers.
Could you stay calm when a pupil does not stop and you have a split second to prevent a collision.
Could you stay calm after getting up early to accommodate someone who cancels at the last minute.
This is the reality of our world.
I smile and carry on because when one pupil passes and you see that smile.
When the tears come.
When the message arrives saying they got the job they needed a licence for.
That is when I know I have changed a life.
So yes.
I smile and I carry on.
But make no mistake.
This job is anything but easy.
Sheena Ahmed
Motorvation School of Motoring
