October 5th, 2009 is World Teachers’ Day. It is a day that has been set aside to recognize teachers and to acknowledge the many contributions that they make to our respective societies. It is really amazing, when you think about it, that all of the great leaders of our time were, at one point, influenced by the words of one of their teachers. It is a role of great importance due to the responsibility that goes along with it which is the ability to shape the minds of our youth.
Those of you who keep up with the news know that teachers are not always portrayed in the best light in the media. I suppose this happens because it is very easy to blame the ills of society on the public school system. Let’s blame the teachers for the fact that standardized test scores in this country are lower than other countries. Also, let’s blame the teachers for all the young people who still are not literate despite having been promoted from grade to grade in this country.
The truth is much less glamorous than all the media hype…It is that of a system that is grossly underfunded and has been for many, many years. It is that of teachers who reach inside their wallets to purchase much needed materials for their classrooms despite the fact that their salaries are not even comparable to others who have attained the same level of education that teachers are required to attain. Let’s also talk about the fact that inner city classes are overcrowded with children that all need some kind of individualized attention but often cannot receive it simply because of the semantics of teaching a class with 32 plus students.
The teachers that I know and work with are a far cry from what you see depicted in the media. They work after hours to tutor children or to allow children to stay in school and use the computers that their parents cannot afford to buy them at home. These same teachers also purchase a lot of other things such as coats, school supplies, sanitary napkins, tissues, food for class parties, and the list goes on…Yes, we even purchase sanitary napkins to have in our classrooms for our female students when they do not have access to this simple necessity.
So, on October 5th, thank a teacher. Make sure that you tell them that you appreciate them for being mothers, nurses, psychologists, referees, counselors, confidants, cheerleaders, friends, caretakers, policemen, and a shoulder to cry on to your children. It’s about time that teachers start to be respected for all that they do selflessly for their students. After all, where would we be without them?
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