To mark the occasion of Teacher’s Day, we asked a few teachers to tell us what they like best about their job
A great believer in education, the second President of India, and a great teacher, Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was asked by few of his students and friends if they could celebrate his birthday. Dr Radhakrishnan’s response was, “Instead of celebrating my birthday separately, it would be my proud privilege if 5 September is observed as Teachers Day.”
From then onwards, the day is observed as Teacher’s Day in India, as a mark of tribute to the contribution made by teachers to society.
Every year on Teacher’s Day, school children in India are busy presenting cards to their favourite teachers and making their day special. We adults fondly remember our teachers who made us what we are today.
To mark the occasion at Indian Link, we asked a few teachers what makes this profession so special to them.
Helping children blossom
Diana Robinson
I am an Early Childhood Teacher and I teach at Communicare Occasional Care Centre.
I chose to be a teacher as I believe that children are our future and I wanted to be a part of making a difference in the lives of our future generation.
The best part of my job is that I get to see how much the children grow developmentally as they move to higher classes. It affirms the hard work and effort I put in during their early childhood years.
On one occasion, I had a four-year-old child who came in to my care. He had developmental delays. He clung to my leg during the initial days and was very shy. However, he seemed to blossom under my care. I was very emotional when the batch moved on to Primary Class. Later on, I learnt from a friend who knew the family, who said the boy was doing very well in his class, excellent in fact, and was one of the top students! I felt immensely proud of the boy. I was glad that I was instrumental in making a difference in his life.
It’s these moments that help me to have a great sense of satisfaction that I chose to be a teacher.
The lightbulb moment
Pratibha Bhalla
I teach Year 3 students at Australian Islamic College at Kewdale.
I have been a teacher for 17 years in Australia, and prior to that, for 10 years in Zambia and Kenya (in Africa).
There are a multitude of facets to being a teacher. One of the parts I cherish the most is my interaction with young children, playing a small part in shaping them for their futures and watching them blossom before my eyes.
One of my favourite or best moments as a teacher is something that I call the ‘lightbulb moment’. This is when one of my children grasps a new concept or a skill. It is a pleasure to witness the joy on the child’s face at this point. I am glad that I have had many such moments and each one is special.
Mentoring to make a difference
Lakshmi Sampurna
I am currently teaching at Canning Vale College, WA. I teach Mathematics for Year 9 and up to Year 12, ATAR level.
I chose this profession as it gives me an opportunity to impart my knowledge to the future generations. I take every day as a new challenge.
I believe that teaching is not limited to delivering the content, but relating it to the real world applications. This includes problem-solving, analytical thinking and helping to evaluate the distance between where the student has started and the target to be accomplished at the end of the day.
This profession gives me an opportunity to make a difference to the students’ lives. I consider mentoring an important skill a teacher must have. I especially feel proud when my students win a (leadership) position.
I dedicate my achievements to my parents and teachers, from whom I acquired this wisdom, and for what I am today. I am also thankful to the Australian Government for giving me an opportunity to teach in public schools.
Helping them achieve their potential
Vani Sambhara
I teach Economics to Years 11 and 12. I am also the Coordinator of Academic Intervention (Years 7-12) for gifted children and those with special learning needs.
I have been fortunate in selecting a profession where I can positively influence the lives of young people at an important stage.
The best thing about my profession is my belief that students who pass through my classroom will shape the future world, and I have the privilege to prepare them for this challenge.
I feel proud when my students perform well in competitions or exams, or when they behave as active citizens. A proud moment for me is when one of my student performs well in the State for Economics, or gets selected for a prestigious institution or program.
Recently my students participated in an academic competition held in Bangkok against 4,000 students from over 36 countries. We went into this competition with minimal preparation and knowledge. A special moment took place when one of my teams ranked 32nd out of 600 teams and qualified for the final round to be hosted at Yale in America in November. As well, one of my students came 3rd out of 1800 students at the competition.
It is a proud moment for me as a teacher and mentor to see my students achieve their potential.