World Teachers Day 5th October

Those who educate children well are more to be honoured than they who produce them; for these only gave them life, those the art of living well.

Aristotle

World Teachers Day is a global event promoted by the United Nations to celebrate the vital role that teachers play in educating the children of today to create a better future for us all. It encourages people of all ages to demonstrate their appreciation for the contribution teachers make to the success and well-being of our children, our communities and our societies.

We at The Learning Escape would like to offer up our own mark of respect for the teaching profession who we believe do a fantastic job in an increasingly complex, multi-cultural and technological world. You are the master craftsmen of the tools children need to realise their full potential and build a better world.

Education is one of the fundamental building blocks of a successful, modern society. Educated individuals tend to be healthier, wealthier and happier and an educated populace leads to a stronger economy. Great teachers and great schools are frequently the backbone of thriving communities, bringing students, their families and their neighbours together to learn, to share resources and invest in a brighter future.

Whilst many a child, when asked who their role models are, will plump for a celebrity of dubious qualification such as Luis Suarez or Kim Kardashian, it is their teachers by whose day-to-day example they are most influenced for the better. So often it is a teacher that provides the initial inspiration that develops into a lifelong passion or vocation. So many of you encourage those who say “I can’t” just by gently insisting “you can”. And for the many children who are the innocent victims of domestic abuse or neglect, of bullying, harassment or discrimination, a teacher offers a safe haven, a sympathetic ear and a guiding hand.

The Starfish Story

One day, an old man was walking along a beach that was littered with thousands of starfish washed ashore by the high tide.

As he walked, he came across a young man enthusiastically throwing the starfish back into the ocean, one by one.

Puzzled, the old man looked at the young man and asked what he was doing.

Without looking up from his task, the young man replied “I’m saving the starfish, Sir.”

The old man chuckled aloud “Son, there are thousands of starfish and only one of you. What difference can you make?”

The young man picked up a starfish and gently cast it out to sea.

“It made a difference to that one.”