I have an aunt who is an English teacher, and I know how it makes her feel whenever she’s appreciated outside of Teacher’s Day. Integrating our most sincere gratitude for them is the least we can do to thank them for their hard work in order to shape our future, but is showing our care for just one day and doing nothing for the rest of the year the right thing for us to do?
For me, it’s not. Many students argue that teachers deserve more appreciation, and honestly, I am on their side. Even a compliment we pay to them puts a smile on their face; imagine how they’d feel if we did this beyond every single day. Imagine how our days would get better, our so-called “boring” lessons become more enjoyable, and most importantly, how fast their souls will actually shine and warm up after our kind words and acts.
Before moving on, I’d like to share some of my peers’ thoughts on this. One of my friends said, “Teachers work so hard and deserve more appreciation.” I couldn’t agree more. Teachers spend hours planning lessons that they won’t get anything in return from us other than selfish complaints, marking our horrendous assignments, and finding new ways to make learning interesting for us teenagers. Their work doesn’t end when the bell rings, unlike us. (Well, actually, our work does not end there, too, but that’s apart from our point) They carry their responsibilities home with them, making sure we have every chance to succeed in life.
Another friend added, “Every day should be Teachers’ Day.” Not to be offensive or anything, but I don’t believe that’s realistic, nor what comes out of our hearts. But I must say, the idea behind it is meaningful. We often forget that teachers are humans too; they’re not clankers that we often rely on these days. They obviously get tired, stressed, and overwhelmed from all the oppression they have to deal with. Small gestures, like a simple “thank you,” can make a huge difference in their day, as I’ve elaborated before.
Once again, in my opinion, appreciating teachers should become a habit, not an annual event that we celebrate just to “celebrate.” Schools could organise monthly recognition moments, such as a “Teacher of the Week” feature in the school newspaper. Students could also participate by sticking notes on their lockers or cups, giving positive feedback, or helping create a supportive classroom atmosphere. In our classroom, I’ve seen students trying to calm down their surroundings to help our teacher by shouting, let’s say.
To sum it all up, this is about showing consistent respect, kindness, and genuine love. After all, they are the ones guiding us on the journey we’re planning on finishing without getting too much damage, inspiring us with their amazing ideas, and sometimes even believing in us more than we believe in ourselves.
Thank you to all of you for climbing this mountain we’re on ahead of us and guiding accordingly.