October 15th is the day in which
Brazilian people celebrate teacher`s day.
This year it will be my 11th year as a teacher and I
must say that being
involved with education made me a different person.
After years teaching people, interacting with
different teachers and being taught I have understood that people are born
teachers.
But what exactly do I mean when I say that?
In order to carry on I should at least try to make
clear how I define a teacher.
Teachers are, most of the times, defined by their
duties and it makes people believe that good teachers are those ones who meet
their deadlines strictly. These teachers certainly know students` names by
heart and spend hours reading and marking assignments.
And I have realized that there`s
more to being a teacher than simply doing mechanic chores.
For me, a teacher is someone who
plants seeds of hope on people`s lives and make sure they will grow somehow. Nevertheless,
for me, a teacher is able to go far beyond meeting deadlines and memorizing
students` names.
A teacher is someone who cares, who
provides ways, who finds opportunities, who believes, who thinks about learners
as human beings. A teacher is someone who knows that he has chosen to be a
positive influence in someone`s life rather than just another name to represent
a scientific concept.
Moreover, a teacher is someone
humble enough to accept learning from learners. A teacher is someone who sees
people as people, who respects needs and limitations, and that is why I believe
being a teacher is a gift ,not a career choice.
Caring about people and their
success is not an ability one develops after a couple of years of instruction.
You do not learn how to care. You do it because it is important for you as a
person.
Needless to say, after 11 years
growing as a person ( being a teacher), the thing that makes teaching worthwhile for
me is the smile of surprise that comes from a learner right after a discovery
or the realization of learning itself.
And love.
Love you give and receive, and
recycle ,and give again and receive again.
Congratulations for being a teacher.
