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Your letters: Teachers are the dream keepers
âThe mediocre teacher tells
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'The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.' (William Arthur Ward).
Commemorating Teachers' Day on Nov. 25, I took a moment of silence to honor all the teachers for their contribution to changing my life for the better. I have grown up among teachers. My dad was an elementary school teacher as were my two uncles. I also have five cousins who embraced this noble profession.
Becoming a teacher has been my dream since childhood. Yet, a twist of fate has brought me along a completely different path.
I had great teachers in my childhood. Aside from my Mum and Dad, it was my kindergarten teacher and junior high school English teacher whom I remembered the most.
My kindergarten teacher was one of the most affectionate, caring and loving people I have had the delight to know and she imparted all those refined qualities onto her pupils. No matter how slow I was in class, she supported me and was always encouraging. She would dry my tears and sit patiently with me without any scornful words.
She would say, 'Never give up, dear. If you keep up doing things you find difficult to do, you will eventually get it. Find your strengths and make them shine.'
My junior high school English teacher was constantly upset with my grammar and pronunciation. Nothing he did seemed to work. He never gave up even when faced with my growing resentment of the subject. I was frustrated with the foreign language and to me it felt like a waste of time.
That was until one day, after class was over, he asked me to stay awhile. Reluctantly, I did as I was bid, with a face of thunder. Out of his weathered suitcase, he pulled out a worn-out children's storybook. Carefully, he read page after page of the powerful and compelling words.
My ears twitched and I sat upright, jolting out of my despondency. Curiosity took over. I was mystified by every strange word that flowed from his lips. My eyes bulged like a purring cat. Smiling humorously, he then had me read it in turn.
I was drawn to his flawless storytelling, stories that my Dad used to make me read in Indonesian when I was a child, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and the Ugly Duckling. It never occurred to me that learning English could be such fun.
These teachers showed me that teaching is not only about expanding intelligence, ensuring students graduate with perfect scores. What matters most is a teacher's efforts to work with the unique strengths a child brings to the classroom.
Too many people are looking for heroes in the wrong places: movie stars, musicians, athletes and models. They are celebrities. Heroes abound in public schools, teachers who dedicate every day to their students in the hope that one day they will be better.
Yuni Herlina
Depok, West Java
