To our teachers- Thank You

On the 5 th October we celebrated the Teachers’ Day. For many, it was surely a day to remember for various reasons. What is fascinating is that all of us owe much (if not all) to our teachers. I have vivid memories of my teachers, some were excellentbut a few didn’t impress me at all. I may recall that the Teachers ‘Day offers us a window of opportunity to view our past. It can help us ( whohave left school) to plunge deep into a flashback.

Personally, I recall that in my school days at this period of the year, all across the country, students were busy preparing for exams. In my case, as I came from a modest family background, it was vital that I perform well so since childhood  Ideveloped a dedication to hard work. I can remember also the feelings of excitement mixed with a tinge of stress for both children and their families as the rhythms of summer are characterised by the rhythms of the school exams. One question that is especially on the mind of every younger child as he or she begins school exams is, “How am I going to perform?” Teachers, along with their students, are hoping that their students get the results they desire and deserve. In my case, I was lucky to have had mostly extraordinary teachers who knew how to motivate me- they also led by example!

For most of the readers of this article, it’s probably been a few years since you have left school. However, I invite you to think of the question, “Who’s Your Teacher?” as it applies to you in your adult life.

We may not be in school any more, but we are learning our whole lives. Life is our classroomand the potential lessons are limitless. As you reflect on your own life right now, who are you learning from? What teacher or teachers are you seeking to learn from? What lessons are you wanting to learn from this teacher or teachers? There is an old saying that when the student is ready, the teacher will arise. What in life are your ready to learn right now? Who will you learn it from?

In this classroom called life we are all students and we are all teachers. We are all lifelong learners. We turn to our friends, family members, mentors, colleagues and others to be our teachers. And along the way, others turn to us to be their teachers as well.

We often turn to someone to be our teacher who has more experience in what it is we need to learn. This is often someone who has already been where we are going. A parent turns to other parents, especially those with more experience, to learn from their wisdom. A person struggling with a cancer diagnosis turns to other cancer survivors to learn from their life experience. A person wanting to deepen his or her spiritual life turns to their faith leader and members of their faith community to learn from and be inspired by their faith journeys. A person starting out in his or her career turns to a respected leader in their field. A singer hires a voice teacher and joins a choir or music group. A person wanting to start exercising takes a fitness class or joins a fitness club. A reader joins a book group.

When we were school children we did not have a great deal of say about who our teacher was. As adults though, we get to choose who our teachers will be. Choosing our teachers is very important. And just as important is being humble enough to acknowledge that there is always more for us to learn. To be a lifelong learner is to relish the fact that our awareness and consciousness is always expanding.

So who are your teachers right now? As you think about who your teachers are right now, also think about whether you are looking for an additional or new teacher or perhaps an additional learning community at this point in your life. If so, this time of year is a great time to make a change.

And so to all the students out there, both young learners and lifelong learners, ” Wishing you all the best!” But last but not least I wish to say a big Thank You to all teachers for what they do for their students. A friend told me ‘ Teachers in many religions are next to Godliness’. I do agree and pray that at All Times, God Bless All Teachers and all who are directly or indirectly linked with education.

The Optimist  

Posted by Minority Voice on Oct 11 2022. Filed under Opinion. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry