A call to celebrate teachers

Every teacher reel that I come across on social media seems to be making fun of the profession and the tasks that teachers do day in and day out. These reels often receive a lot of attention, with quite a few teachers resonating with the content. However, I am yet to come across a reel that celebrates these superheroes who are the heart and soul of education. 

While parents find it difficult to handle that one child at home, we smilingly handle plenty and seamlessly transition from one year to another doing so. We are gardeners nurturing young minds daily. We realise the wide variety and diverse needs of the students entrusted to us. We know that each student is unique—some need more sunlight, others require a bit of pruning, and some just need a gentle nudge to bloom. We recognise this individuality and strive to nurture the potential within every student. We make an effort to inspire confidence in the shy, spark a fire in the apathetic, and challenge the gifted to reach even greater heights. We don’t just teach; we transform.

Imagine a world without us—a daunting, chaotic place where knowledge is a tangled web with no guide to help untangle it. Teachers are the unsung heroes who turn classrooms into vibrant spaces of discovery, creativity, and growth. We are the architects of dreams, the cultivators of curiosity, and the ultimate game-changers in shaping the future. Without us, education as we know it would be like a ship lost at sea, drifting aimlessly without direction.

We don’t just impart facts and figures; we build the foundation of understanding. Whether it’s explaining the mysteries of the universe in a physics or a geography class or uncovering the beauty of language through poetry, we design learning experiences to ignite curiosity.

Ours is not an easy task. We don’t deal with files and folders, but with the matters of the head, the heart, the hand, and the future. The daily juggling with lesson plans, checking and grading, managing classroom dynamics, and unexpected work that suddenly comes our way, is certainly not an easy feat. Yet, we are most resilient, persevere with grace and purpose, and show up every day, determined to inspire no matter the challenges. 

Our impact doesn’t stay confined to the four walls of the classroom only, but goes much beyond, in terms of space and time! The ripple effect of our work influences students’ perception of the world, their thought processes, their value system, and ethics. We all can well recall that one teacher who made a difference in our lives.

It’s high time that we celebrate these everyday ordinary superheroes who work extraordinarily, instead of just making fun of our plight in reels. We don’t ask for much—a simple acknowledgment of our hard work, a thank-you note, a hand of support—is all it takes to make us smile that bit more.

I tip my hat to all the members of my fraternity who dedicate their lives to making the world a brighter, smarter, and more compassionate place.