“Of all the hard jobs around, one of the hardest is being a good teacher.” – Maggie Gallagher.

Let me tell you a story that I read, once a king decided to find and honour the greatest person among his subjects. A man of wealth and property was considered. Another was praised for her healing powers, another for his wisdom and knowledge of the law. Many other successful people were also brought to the king. It soon became obvious that this task would be near impossible. Finally, after everyone, an elderly candidate was brought in. Her eyes shone with knowledge, understanding, and pure undying love. The king then asked them, “Who is this? What has she accomplished?” “You have seen and heard all the others, she is their teacher!” said the king’s aide. The king got off his throne and honored her while all the others applauded their teacher.

Aristotle, the Greek philosopher, once said, “Teachers, who educate children, deserve more honour than parents, who merely gave them birth; for the latter provided mere life, for the former ensured good life”

Teachers, those selfless people who wake up early in the morning and forgo their own sleep so that they can make sure that the class they are going to teach that day will a memorable one. Each and every one of us would not be where we are if it weren’t for teachers. Theoretically speaking everyone and everything in your life is a teacher, your parents are the first, who are the very first step into the world of knowledge. Your friends are teachers who teach you the value of friendship and loyalty. Random strangers too, teach you to show kindness and compassion without boundaries. Experiences from day to day life however small, teach us the little mysteries, which usually go unnoticed. But today I want to focus on the teachers who teach us at school; because they don’t just teach us everything in the syllabus set to us, they teach us life lessons that we wouldn’t be able to learn from others, without it having been pointed out. To us students they are the very epitome of perfection, kindness, consideration, patience, intelligence and the list goes on and on. We learn the most from our mothers, second- most from our teachers.

Students knowingly or unknowingly often mimic their teachers, because no matter what we may make ourselves believe, we truly admire our teachers and each holds a special place in our hearts. A teacher to some is an instructor, the person to instruct and support you in every way possible so you reach your next step. For some a teacher is a guide, who leads you to your destination no matter what happens. A teacher is also a friend who is ready to support you, to caution you or just be there for you. They are also good listeners who are ready to hear you out before saying anything. And the list continues. Teachers are true superheroes, their magic superpowers I have admired since I was a little girl. There are those English teachers who by just reading the very first word of a story could transport us to different worlds in just one period. The social studies teachers who teleport you from past to present without giving you a chance to fall asleep.

The math teachers who take you to a never ending odyssey of numbers with a smile, a story or life experience. The science teachers teach to traverse with ease very complicated term with exciting lab experiment and working models. The Art teachers, who teach you how to take your emotions and mix them with the colours on a palette. And these are the teachers who can see the invisible, noticing the quietest and most socially awkward students, through the bunch of hyperactive, loud ones. Teaching is not a just a profession; it is a science, an art, a craft and it demands emotional labour.

Our teachers leave long lasting impressions on us and though the years may pass and we may forget their names but the memories are engraved in our hearts, living an indelible mark in the history of a student’s life. We hear stories about exemplary teachers who do the extraordinary for their students and we admire them yet we don’t realise that our teachers too deserve such credit.

Teachers inspire us to give the very best of what we have got; we try our level best to bring out our fullest potential in the presence of our teachers and not with our parents. Why? You may ask. Well this is because our parents are well aware strengths and limitations. But on the other hand, our teachers have no per-conceived idea about so they accept us as we are. This is what provides us an opportunity to push to the maximum, unmindful of our limitations. And just like that are limitations disappear in a puff of smoke.

After all remember, teachers don’t earn much, just enough to live their lives. They don’t come and teach to get paid, they teach because they love what they do and those whom they teach. A teacher may not make much but I will tell you what they make.

They make a student work harder than they ever thought they could.

They make a C+ feel like they won the Nobel Prize.

They make a student sit for 40 minutes in complete silence enrapturing them in what they are saying.

They make kids wonder.

They make them question, they make them criticize.

They make them sensitize to the world around them.

They make them apologize and mean it.

They make them write.

They make them read, read, read.

They make them write perfect equations in math and hand in their final drafts in perfect English.

I will tell you what they make, THEY MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

It is a privilege to be blessed with a great teacher but this must not be taken for granted. After a few years we will find that we have always adored our teacher and will regret the fact that we never took the time to truly appreciate them. Teacher’s day is a special day to acknowledge our teachers for all they do, but it shouldn’t be the only day, find a way to make them feel special everyday such that each day is a day that they won’t forget- even if the world depended on it.This teacher’s day, instead of writing a simple card and writing inside it, Dear teacher, thanks for everything you’ve done. Happy Teacher’s day. Regards insert name, write something more heartfelt like a thank you letter or just tell them in person how much you appreciate what they do for you.

They will never forget it and on the inside they will cry tears of joy.

A big salute to all the teachers in the world!