World Teachers' Day

Today there's another great celebration, World Teachers' Day, also known as International Teachers Day.

Frances Evan, Sunday School Teacher by Alfred Eisenstaedt                                               

About Today:
This day was established as an appreciation for educators and a platform for improving educational tactics.

Every year the UNESCO creates a different theme to celebrate this occasion and in 2018 it is, "The right to education means the right to a qualified teacher", which is a reminder that the right education cannot be realised without qualified, professional help.

Did Any Teacher Indirectly Impact You?
I have had a many good teachers but very few whom I felt genuinely cared about educating, and I don't mean teaching the syllabus, but those who went beyond that and made me think.

 Mrs Haines' art class, 1955   

My primary school art teacher Ms Maha had a very gentle and maternalistic nature in her teaching methods. To everyone, she was a friend and a mother before she was a teacher, which made her very popular amongst children. She also was one of the few who always encouraged everyone to do better.

Whenever we came across an issue or had an argument with someone, we went to her to solve it. She practically played the role a judge. A fair one at that.

I remember once, she held a competition in class, that whoever creates the best art piece would have their work and name hung on the corridor for everyone to see. I was so excited and worked very hard on my piece. More than the pride I would feel in having my name on the wall, pleasing her was my priority because I felt I would let her down if I didn't do my best.

Whenever she saw me working on my piece, she praised and cheered me on. I was sure I'd win. Eventually, my confidence turned into arrogance and I started feeling that my work was much better than that of my classmates'. I believed, I could also see it in their eyes.

When the day came and the results were out, she hung the pictures on the corridor wall and waited for all the students to see them the first thing in the morning, after assembly. When we passed by the wall, as we were lead to our form room by our teacher, I glanced and found that my picture wasn't there.

I was in shock. How could she not add my picture to the wall. Actually I even thought; why did she choose all the others over me. I was so broken. I felt sorry for myself and thought she purposely did it because she didn't like me.

I remember my eldest sister passed by the primary school section just to check if I had won and was shocked too. She went to my art teacher, who used to be her art teacher too, and asked her why.
The teacher said that my art piece was the best among the contestants, but that she was afraid I wouldn't work harder or wouldn't improve, if I always won, even though she thought I deserved it. My sister told her it was unfair and that she had hurt my feelings.
My teacher then called me to the classroom and told me she was sorry and that she thought it would encourage me to do even better than that. Then she hung my picture on the wall.

I wasn't as happy about it as I thought I would be. Not because it was too late but that she had to apologise to me. It is a huge deal for a teacher to admit they were wrong and that is one of her better qualities.

Of course now when I look back, I can't help but think, if it was Almighty God's way to teach me a bigger lesson than what I thought I was taught. I felt it was a way for me to, unconsciously, be a better person. My teacher's praises gave me a big head, yet through her, I was made humble again. I think if she didn't have good intentions, God Almighty wouldn't use her to guide me.
I thank him for it then her for being a means to it.

Teacher, 1940s        

Another favourite teacher of mine, was Mr Hussain. He was my social studies teacher and the nicest man I had ever met. He always had a smile on his face and hardly ever showed any other emotion but happiness. He joked around and worked hard to get us involved in his lessons through enjoyable activities.
I remember he used to always draw very detailed maps on the blackboard and it would take him the whole break.  Through his attention-grabbing art, he demanded we listen to his lesson and we unconciously did.

Whenever he felt we were getting bored, he'd turn the class into a game. He'd split us into teams and we'd answer questions just like a game show. We laughed a lot and, without realising it, learned a lot.

Back in the day, everyone used to cheat on tests. It was common, because well, I guess we thought it was fun and maybe we were too lazy to study.
I rarely cheated because I never really knew how to, but one day, I had enough and wanted to do it the easy way because quite frankly most of the time, I'd study hard but the cheaters still got better grades.

So I decided to summarise all the chapters and write the questions I assumed we'd be asked, then play the rest of the day, but all the while doing it, I kept thinking, God will hate me for this. I was so angry at myself for having a conscience, when everybody else thought it was practically natural to cheat. So I just brushed these thoughts off and hoped for the best.

At school, my friends pointed out that having around ten pages worth of notes and on A4 paper even, was somewhat of a problem. A rookie mistake, I thought, but I'll go ahead with it anyway because I had no choice, I hadn't studied.

I went to the classroom before the test, to find a comfortable place to cheat. There were shelves on the side of the room, next to the desks by the window, which I thought was convenient, so I placed my notes on one of the shelves. When it was time to take our places, I asked the teacher if I could sit by the window, in the very back. This way, I can flip through my notes without getting caught.

When the test commenced, I realised I had done another rookie mistake. My notes; for one, had highlighting, which made them visible from afar, and two, they had sellotape all over them, so the note-flipping would be heard before it was even seen. But the simple-minded cheater in me, went on with it anyway.

Suddenly I saw my favourite teacher standing infront of my desk staring at me, with great disappointment, as I flipped through my notes. He said nothing, yet he said everything with his silence. Then he went back to his desk and the expression of sorrow still noticable on his face.

I was so hurt for him. I felt like dirt. I really felt what cheating should make someone feel. It didn't seem fun to me like I always felt everyone who did it believed. I wanted the earth to pull me in. I regretted it so much but it was too late. I should've listened to my conscience...

I went to him and apologised then asked him why he was so disappointed at me, when in the past I'd always see him joking around with other people whom he had caught cheating. He said, because he expected better from me.

That was the worst and best thing I had ever heard someone say to me.

I never cheated ever after that, but I never really felt he saw me the same way he did before the incident. It might seem like a simple thing now, because I was only 12, but it affected me greatly and til this day, whenever I remember - and as I am writing this now - I feel my throat swelling. I so desperately wanted to please him because he was such a great teacher and I knew he really wanted us to learn for our own benefit.

I still learned more than just that cheating is bad and will always result in disappointment one way or another, but that also trusting one's conscience and fulfilling the trust to God Almighty and to people who have faith in you, is the best way to live harmoniously.

What Classic Film/Television Teacher Is Your Favourite?
I am sure there are many, but I can only think of one teacher right now and that's "Miss Landers" from Leave It To Beaver, played by Sue Randall.

She has all the qualities of an understanding adult with a passion for education. Much like my own teachers had done with me, she helped shape Beaver's personality.

I hope someday my own children come across a great teacher like her because school is half your childhood, so teachers play a big part in your upbringing.