They come to class rain or shine, fully prepared with lesson plans for the day. Waking up early at the crack of dawn, they brave the traffic in the cities, or even mountains and rivers in far-flung provinces, just to make it to the classroom – if there is one. If there is none, they look forward to holding a class under a mango tree. And while in class, they give their all to make sure students learn something new so young boys and girls can have a chance at a bright future ahead.
Teachers – they are the modern day heroes. They take on the selfless task of educating tomorrow’s leaders even with minimal pay and benefits. For them, the privilege of teaching in itself is fulfilling, and nothing compares to the wonderful feeling of seeing students learn each day, and achieve success in their chosen fields when they grow up. Indeed, behind every successful person is a patient teacher.
Cognizant of the important role teachers play in society, the Philippine government has designated September 5 to October 5, 2011 as National Teachers’ Month. The month-long event will culminate in the celebration of World Teachers’ Day on October 5, 2011, a special day designated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) since 1994.
The Department of Education has encouraged students to say thank you to their teachers, through greeting cards, gifts, or posting messages on social networking sites.
“We have many creative ways and various media platforms to be used to express our gratitude to our teachers,” said Education Secretary Armin Luistro.
Luistro added, “I think we should regularly take time to revitalize the image of teachers and draw public attention to their value in society.”
Schools throughout the country hold school programs for their teachers, and some hand out awards to the teachers who have rendered continuous service to their respective institutions. Other corporations and organizations such as Metrobank also give recognition to outstanding teachers.
For the year 2011, UNESCO has chosen the theme “Teachers for Gender Equality” for World Teachers’ Day. The UN agency has also put a widget on its website which allows viewers to send e-cards to their teachers.
Have you taken time to thank your favorite teacher? If you haven’t yet, give her a card, send her a text message, post a message on her Facebook wall, or just simply greet her in the corridor at school. These may seem simple gestures, but their impact on your teacher will be heartwarming. Go ahead, greet her today!