A date dedicated to the empowering educationalists that once helped mould our minds, the 5th of September is nationally celebrated as ‘Teacher’s Day’. This day is inspired by the life and mission of Sarevapalli Radhakrishnan, a man of impressive knowledge and grit. He was nominated over ten times for the Nobel Peace Prize and dutifully served as one of our Presidents. Remarkable as the man had been, his influential spirit continues to live till this day.
World-wide, school memories are a thing of fondness—and they wouldn’t really be as treasured as they are if it weren’t for those special individuals that can work their magic without any wands, captivate attentions with impassioned words and effortlessly impact lives in unassuming classes; truly a teacher’s work is nothing short of wonder, and its this day that makes us appreciate their hard work.
There are several factors that go into a simple, forty-minute lesson: Late nights, weary eyes, and hours of presentation-planning. Yet, our beloved teachers do it every day, without even batting an eyelash. However, there are more things that go into the job description of a teacher than just a mere degree and a student-friendly attitude. They often hold in their hands the wonderous power of influence—one that they routinely use to inspire fiery dreams in the hearts of the future, for it was as Malala Yousufzai once said: ‘One child, one teacher, one book, one pen can change the world.’ And how right she was!
Personally, I have been privileged to have been taught by many wonderful teachers over the years —yet the one that had an unarguably large impact on my life was my History teacher in Year 10. She was simply a breath of fresh air, an individual who made her classes feel like routine trips to war-torn Vietnam in the 1960s and the pastel high society of Victorian England. Here, for once—in a scholastic system that sneered at all but the sciences—was a woman who enchanted the minds of her students with her incredible stories, unmatched wit and a miracle she was willing to share—and for a quiet History-lover like me—well, she was nothing short of a magician.
On the 5th of September, all schools burst with colour and festivity to mark teacher’s achievements, each institution celebrating in a different way: some with surprise gifts, some with cheeky students taking over classes, while others have jubilant performances organized by the teacher’s themselves! It is a riot of fun on that day, one full of golden memories to be cherished for the years to come.