Over 100 countries express their teacher appreciation by observing World Teachers' Day (WTD). The efforts of many parents and teachers’ organizations have contributed to this widespread recognition.
Every year, public awareness campaigns are launched to highlight the contributions of the teaching profession. On 5 October, teachers’ organizations worldwide mobilize to ensure that the needs of future generations are taken into consideration in this increasingly complex, multicultural and technological world.
UNESCO inaugurated the 5th of October as World Teachers’ Day in 1994 to commemorate the signing of the UNESCO/ILO Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers on the 5th of October, 1966. World Teachers’ Day also highlights the Recommendation Concerning the Status of Higher Education Teaching Personnel adopted in 1997. According to UNESCO, World Teachers' Day represents a significant token of the awareness, understanding and teacher appreciation displayed for the vital contribution that these professionals make to education and development. Teachers' Day should be internationally recognized, and teacher appreciation should be celebrated around the world. The principles of the 1966 and 1997 Recommendations should be considered for implementation in all nations.
World Teachers' Day provides the opportunity to draw public attention to the role of teachers worldwide as well as to the crucial importance of the role they play in society. On the 5th of October, 1966, the world's teachers made a giant step forward. A Special Intergovernmental Conference adopted the UNESCO/ILO Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers, which, for the first time ever, gave teachers throughout the world an instrument that defines their responsibilities and asserts their rights. In adopting this Recommendation, governments unanimously recognized the importance for every society of having competent, qualified and motivated teachers. The international community thus recognizes that showing teacher appreciation is a positive and necessary yearly action.
A sad teacher appreciation history: Sakina Daudi
Her name was Sakina Daudi and she was the face of WTD ‘04. Few knew her name, and yet many around the world have seen her face. Hers is the story of a teacher who will be remembered. Teacher appreciation is, in her case, a feeling beyond death. Sakina Daudi is the Malawi teacher portrayed on the posters and leaflets published for the occasion of World Teachers' Day 2004. Sakina passed away in the spring of 2004 at the age of 31, due to complications linked to the AIDS virus. Her ex-husband, likewise ill, share the responsibility of raising their 5-year-old son with Sakina’s sister. The sixty pupils of whom Sakina was in charge, now join other classes on overcrowded benches in the Ngwenya Primary School. Despite losing a thousand teachers each year, the Ministry has not enrolled a single new teacher since three years ago, due to the lack of funds. Sakina was young, intelligent, pretty and devoted. Hundreds of both male and female teachers (nearly 2% of the 54,000 teachers in the country) die each year due to complications linked to AIDS.
LET YOUR TEACHER KNOW!
Teaching has been described in many ways: growing humans, the art of patience, shaping minds… But it has never been categorized as a an ordinary job, or as a profession that can make you rich. Most teachers live on moderate salaries and then proceed to an unfairly low retirement wage. That’s international, and it’s always been like that. And their low wages are just a part of the problem. In Jacques Barzun’s wise words, regard for teaching and teachers is a long lost tradition. Public expressions of teacher appreciation are infrequent. With few exceptions, human societies and civilizations have never been too appreciative or grateful towards teachers, no matter how much they have contributed to expanding that which makes us different from any other species: knowledge.
Teaching is possibly one of the most vocational jobs. It is simply impossibly to teach if you don’t like that activity, or if you don’t care for your students. Care, that’s the word. But, how often do we, the rest of us, care for our current or former teachers? How often do we show our teacher appreciation? How often do we thank them for their care, efforts and help? No, teacher appreciation is not exactly the most extended among our communities virtues. When we are very little, we tend to have a close relationship with our teachers and we show them a lot of teacher appreciation in our everyday life. But as we start growing up and seeking recognition among our fellow students, being friends with the teachers becomes unpopular. Too much teacher appreciation and you can be bullied by your pals, so… Often, it’s not until college that we develop again a sense of true respect and affection for those whose whole life is devoted to our intellectual growth.
A teacher’s highest reward is feeling the true appreciation and gratitude of his or her current or former students. Because teacher appreciation is so seldom expressed, many teachers feel sad and frustrated about how few of their students actually like them. If you feel that a particular teacher is or has been crucial in your personal growth, or if you are simply fond of him or her and the way they teach, don’t be shy to let them know. You’ll feel well and you’ll make that person the best possible gift, because teaching is their life.
