An Ode to My Daughter’s Teachers on Teachers’ Day

It was not until I became a mother did I realise how much teachers shape minds of the children, and how their indifference causes little dreams to die thousand deaths.

I don’t remember much of my childhood and the teachers, except the fact that I never particularly cared two hoots about my teachers ever in my life. My teachers in my school and college days’ never left much of an impression on me, half of them I can barely remember now. But when my child started going to school, I realised much about teacher-student interactions. My child has been lucky in getting some of the most caring and concerned teachers I have ever seen. They have called home at night to enquire when my child has fallen sick in school and had to be sent home early; they have looked after her nutritional intake when she had suffered from indigestion problems due to anxiety of joining a new school; they have gifted my child some beautiful gifts when she had achieved the best grades of her life; and they have handheld my child and guided her to correct her mistakes and explore new horizons. My daughter’s teachers have really taken my breath away with their kindness and thoughtfulness.

We move a lot because of my husband’s transferable job, and at every place we have been to (that’s around six new cities my ten year old child has stayed till date) my child had to go to a new school with totally new environment and new classmates. For two, three, four year olds, walking into a classroom filled with new faces can be a daunting task. And yet my child has coped beautifully after little teething problems, all thanks to the teachers she had. Every class teacher of hers have walked that extra mile with her to help her settle down, to give her the time to adjust and challenge her to achieve the next milestone. In course of time, some of them have even become my friends. Today my child wants to have a cent percent attendance in school, and hates to miss any special occasion or celebrations at school, all thanks to the wonderful support she receives from her teachers. As she is growing up, I know that I cannot expect her teachers to hold her hand so much, but I know that they will be there, and I am grateful for that.

A strong parent-teacher relationship, I have realised is the one that can benefit the child most. Teachers need to see the parents and parents need to meet the teachers with an open mind. As all teachers may not be receptive in a similar manner, parents also come with all sorts of attitudes. It’s my belief that an open channel of communication between parents and teachers can do a world of good to the child. As we celebrate Teacher’s Day 2011 today, I want to tell all those lovely teachers who have looked after my child as a mother, thank you for everything. As a parent, I am grateful to you, forever.