World Teachers’ Day was celebrated in many countries on planet earth yesterday. It was a day dedicated to all teachers who are widely known as pillars of society.
Without teachers, according to a book I read, there won’t be lawyers, engineers, doctors, architects, etc. Teachers taught these career men and women all they know.
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You must have done your share in showing how much you appreciate your teachers. Whatever it was you did, wrote, or said, I am sure it delighted them!
For me, one of the most moving words of appreciation for a teacher was written by Alexander the Great (the ancient King of Macedon who was known to have conquered the world in his 30’s). He said, “I am indebted to my father for living, but to my teacher for living well.”
Great as he was in history, Alexander humbly recognized the contribution of his teacher to his grand stature as conqueror.
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Aristotle (a Greek philosopher, polymath, and teacher of Alexander the Great) worded this same thought differently: “Those who educate children well are more to be honored than parents, for these only gave life, those the art of living well.”
While we’re at it, here are two more tributes to all teachers:
“What a teacher writes on the blackboard of life can never be erased.”
2 Teach is
2 Touch lives
4 Ever
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Various events are held in many countries around the globe on or around October 5 to honor teachers in general.
The day is also marked by conferences emphasizing the importance of teachers and events increasing awareness of the roles they play in children’s lives.
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One of the most written about teachers in recent history was a lady named Anne Sullivan, the teacher of Helen Keller, who was deaf and blind.
Anne was herself visually impaired, but at age 20, she was recommended to be Helen’s instructor.
Anne taught Helen to communicate by spelling words into her hand, beginning with “d-o-l-l” for the doll that she had brought her new ward as a present. Helen was angry and frustrated at first, because she did not understand that every object had a word that identified it.
Helen was a difficult student, a tad spoiled by her doting parents. But Anne was very patient and persistent with her.
One day, Helen finally understood that every object had a name!
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Helen eventually blossomed and became very famous—as an author, political activist, lecturer, and traveled all over the world to voice her opinions for women’s and workers’ rights. She was the first deaf-blind person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree in America.
The story of Anne as a teacher to Helen is beautifully dramatized in a play entitled, “The Miracle Worker.” Anne Sullivan, teacher, was indeed a miracle worker in the life of her student! She stayed with Helen as teacher and companion for 49 years.
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Your teachers are like Anne Sullivan; they are patient and persistent in teaching you what you need to know in school. If you haven’t said “thank you” to them yet, do so now! Please visit my website: http://leavesofgrace.blogspot.com or email me at: gdchong@gmail.com