Remember Great Teachers on World Teacher Day
When I was a child I wanted to be a teacher when I grew up. I had some very good teachers who served as excellent examples of what good (and in some cases, great) teachers are all about. Teachers have a very important job- they shape minds, encourage their students to thirst for greater knowledge, and inspire young minds to appreciate the journey that their educational path holds for them. Teachers also play a role in how children view their future education and help to frame behaviors, beliefs and values.
October 5th is the date set aside to show thanks and appreciation to teachers who not only leave a significant mark on their students’ minds but often their hearts as well. Ask any elderly individual, and they will no doubt remember fondly one or more teachers that made an impact on them. Teachers stay with us throughout our lives!
Teaching is a vocation as much as it is an occupation, and those who choose to follow this path to help others need to be recognized for the special people that they are. In fact, next to parents and other immediate family members, teachers have the strongest influence over the thinking patterns, attitudes and ideas of youngsters.
If you are a parent or a student, take the time to offer thanks and appreciation to a teacher that has made a difference in your life. Thanks can come by way of a verbal message, a card, or a small gift. You might want to give your teacher an apple or orange as a way to say thanks for all of his or her hard work!
World Teachers’ Day officially got its start in 1993 when it was initiated by Federico Mayor, the Director-General of UNESCO at the International Conference on Education in Geneva. It was first suggested on October 5, 1966, that a special day should be set aside to honor and give thanks to teachers. This is the date that teachers are annually recognized both in the United States and Canada, as well as throughout the world.
If you are a teacher or a former teacher, then give yourself a celebratory pat on the back and do something to show appreciation for yourself on October 5th. What would the world be without the many fine teachers in it?! Be proud of your contribution.
Happy World Teachers’ Day!!
