pedagogical choices

School violence continues to present serious challenges to teaching, learning, and teacher well-being in post-apartheid South Africa. Existing research has largely focused on the prevalence, causes, management, and disciplinary responses associated with violence in schools. Thereby positioning teachers as informants for experiences of school violence. Such a singular focus limits our understanding of how teachers interpret and make sense of these experiences within their professional lives. This paper attempts to fill this gap by using currere as a reflective, autobiographical approach to study lived educational experiences. I purposively selected two teachers from schools in the Mashishing Circuit of Mpumalanga Province to participate in the study. To collect data, I used reflective journals guided by the four stages of currere: regressive, analytical, progressive, and synthetic. Currere created a platform for teachers to revisit their past experiences of school violence and analyse how these experiences shape their current pedagogical choices and practices. The findings suggest that violence in schools is an ongoing emotional and structural condition. It influences teachers’ well-being, authority, pedagogical choices, and attitude toward learners. Currere enabled teachers to reimagine pedagogical approaches that balance classroom safety with meaningful learning. The study highlights the methodological value of currere for examining teachers' lived experiences in violent school settings. The paper recommends providing well-being support for teachers who experienced violence and adopting restorative approaches in schools.