I Love Teachers
Everyone is a teacher. Whether directly, indirectly, deliberately or involuntarily, positively or negatively, everyone “teaches” in various forms.
The term “teacher” in a formal sense constitutes a “person who helps students to acquire knowledge, competence or virtue.“ Truly, there are various definitions, but I like this one, It’s concise and to the point. Let’s take this definition and look at our teachers who are tasked with preparing our younger generation for a future Jamaica.
During the late 70s when I attended college, all that was needed was a three year diploma to be hired as a teacher. A very vast amount of persons retired before and after those years having just completed those three years in teachers college. Limited amount of persons sought higher tertiary level education to elevate to other levels in the same field or to move otherwise.
As I walk around today I can safely say that today’s teachers are highly qualified, very competitive, extremely smart, very dedicated yet still not regarded, seen only as work horses (because of their dedication) and their payscale is still not commensurate.
I have had the distinct privilege of working with many teachers over the years. There is no other profession with persons who are fully dedicated to the individuals they serve. A teacher’s job is never complete. Teachers continue to work for their students even after school or when they have had a bad day in the classroom. Their job does not stop.
Timothy Scholze writes in his blog: “Being a teacher means being involved as a learner. Being a teacher means being a life-long learner and a curious soul. We need to serve as models for our students and if a teacher is not continually learning and adapting then they cannot expect the students to just acquire those skills. Teaching is a lifestyle”
On a regular day a teacher in Jamaica is leading 40 students of various abilities, background, experiences, socio economic background, temperament, communities, and he/she has to bring it all together for learning to occur. How do they do that? Teachers are magicians, only when the government realizes this can they truly appreciate the true and full impact of the profession.
Prime Ministers, Members of Parliament, doctors, lawyers, and the brightest and smartest business owners all depended on a teacher to make that first learning impression.
Teachers are the backbone of all nations, they are the keepers of our children, the blood in the “veins” of our country, the heart that pumps. life into our future, and the gas for our nation’s engines. They propel us and make all our lives enriched.
Let’s lift up our teachers. Let’s empower them with more knowledge, support, and the renumeration that they deserve.
