October 4, 2013
World Teachers’ Day
“Education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel.”~
Throughout my school visits, I am constantly struck by the extraordinary teachers that we are privileged to have working at the DSBN. Your enthusiasm, inspiration, commitment to doing what’s right for students, as well as your support for your schools and communities, never fails to amaze me!
As a profession, teachers don’t always get the best press. Everyone seems to know how to do our jobs better than we do. And we sit quietly and listen when others give freely of their advice and, at times, their criticism.
But anyone working in education knows that teachers love their chosen profession, otherwise they wouldn’t stick with it!
We know too well that you have to deal with complex, sensitive and difficult issues. We know that you work with children who come from vastly divergent backgrounds and have different value systems and that sometimes you have to be mother, father, nurse, counsellor, supporter and friend. You share your lunch, coach the sports teams and give up your prep time to work with struggling students. You organize field trips, choir practices, plan plays and school drama productions. You give up weekends to participate in community events - Terry Fox Runs, DSBN Road Race, Grape and Wine Festivals – the list goes on.
But we know what you do. And we are grateful for what you do. Every day, in every way, you are making the difference in someone’s life. You may not know it now – or indeed ever. But your influence goes well beyond the classroom and stays with your students – sometimes for a lifetime.
A student known only as G.K. once wrote an essay, entitled "Teachers are the Reason Why…" In it, GK wrote:
"……Teachers are the reason why airplanes fly, computers program, ballets are danced, novels are written, cancers are researched, lawsuits are won, skyscrapers are built, and ‘art’ decorates refrigerator doors. Life’s biggest accomplishments occur because somewhere, sometime, someone touched our lives – and it all began with a teacher!"
At the DSBN, we are proud of how you work so hard to support our students and to become better teachers, administrators and educators. We hope you are proud of your work too.
As Nelson Mandela said “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
On behalf of the Board of Trustees and Senior Staff of the District School Board of Niagara, thank you for all you do to support our students to help change the world.
Warren Hoshizaki
Director of Education