A different kind of Teachers Day

ANOTHER year, another Teachers Day – except this time, we were not able to gather for a special assembly and listen to speeches by our administrators.

This year, you may also be secretly thankful that you didn’t have to participate in the mini sporting events or perform in the Teacher’s Day concert.

Better still, you did not have to endure sitting next to the teachers who make it a point to read out every Teacher’s Day message they get from their students through social media and force yourself to respond politely each time.

You may not be into social media but you still can’t help feeling a little envious.

Imagine having to sit in front of another table laden with Teachers Day gifts, flowers and cards while yours, in comparison, looked like the table Teachers Day forgot.

Perhaps some of us were relieved at being spared these experiences but some events – like teachers dressing up as school students as part of a ‘Back To School’ theme – you never forget.

It may not have been your idea of fun but memories like the zip on that pinafore you borrowed from your 15-year-old niece giving way, and your colleague Rosniah lending you her file to save you from further embarrassment until you managed to find something else to change into, linger on.

So despite the unenthusiastic proclamations you make to yourself about Teachers Day, there is still a tiny part of you that acknowledges the day as special.

This is the day that teachers are given formal appreciation for what they do and for the role they play in shaping the minds and lives of those they teach.

This is the day that the teaching profession is given due recognition for its irreplaceable role in society.

This is the day that though unbidden, makes you reflect on the moments in your teaching service that have made all that effort and commitment and sacrifices worthwhile.

And though not all these moments can be captured simply by a Teachers Day celebration, they are a precious and are part of your achievements as an educator.

You remember how a student labelled as ‘no hope to pass’ by those who had taught him prior, came to you.

You recall the extra coaching, the time spent, the frustrations when nothing seemed to work and the deep sense of fulfilment when he passed the subject in the SPM examination.

Then there was that group of students you trained for those district level drama competitions – the exasperating moments when they did everything except what was in the script, the journey you travelled alongside them as teacher, coach, mentor, and friend, the thrill of competition you felt when they were on the stage, the elation you shared when they won, and the disappointment when they didn’t.

You have been their education facilitator, lesson deliverer, lecturer, content provider, learning guide, instructor, encourager, critic, shoulder to cry on and mediator during squabbles.

At times, you were the one who hauled them up and sent them to face the music for serious breach of rules and at other times, you were the one who rushed fiercely to their defence, giving them second and third chances they didn’t always deserve.

You were also the one who was sometimes privy to what went on in their homes – you knew which student was going through a rough time at home, who didn’t have enough money for recess, and who could not afford to buy that school tee-shirt or contribute to the class fund. You were always there to help.

So this year, your Teachers Day may have been a virtual affair.

Perhaps you didn’t get to sit next to your colleagues all dressed up for that special assembly; you missed having to sing the Kami Guru Malaysia; there was no performance to witness; and no special lunch treat to be had.

Chances are that all this may still happen on a later date or be adapted to suit a virtual platform but the truth is, Teachers Day this time around is different.

But despite these changes, the fundamental importance of Teacher’s Day remains. It is still a day when teachers are celebrated and the teaching service remembered – whatever the magnitude or mode of celebration, and regardless of where you are.

It is still about teachers everywhere, about what they do and about who they are. The flowers and cards may be virtual but the feelings of appreciation behind them are real.

Their role in educating the hearts and minds of our children remains vitally and crucially unique.

And in the words of former United States Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan;

“Wherever you find something extraordinary, you’ll find the fingerprints of a great teacher.”

Happy Teachers Day!

Dr G Mallika Vasugi who currently teaches in a local university, provides insights on the teaching profession. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of The Star.