Teachers held in sacred trust
To the editor:
National Teachers Day. China celebrates teachers. Like most holidays and celebrations in this country it is a haphazard affair.
Some restaurants and places have special deals and offers for teachers. Officially it is a calendar item. This means that all calendars printed in the country mark the day.
This year, the day also marks the beginning of the academic semester at my school. As I have moved in I have seen numerous students also doing the same thing. Not too much is different from move in day at U.S. schools. Students can be seen lugging suitcases with clothing and comfort items. What is probably different is that students here have far fewer items. Given that most student dormitory rooms have between four and eight students in them this is probably a good thing.
Teaching is as much an occupation as it is a calling. To teach another person how to do something is hard to do. Often we discover that what we thought we knew we did not know. Every single job at some point requires a teacher. This can be in the form of a person, a place, a situation, or an experience. The County is no exception. It teaches many things and we do not see ourselves in its classroom. Presque Isle and the surrounding communities have been very lucky that some of the best teachers have helped the city grow and mature. It has not been an easy task.
China shows us some of what we celebrate. By honoring teachers it makes a humble example of a very sacred trust. Without teachers we would be nothing more than barbarous buffoons. In history of the United States of America we have placed a great value on the contract between our government and our survival. America was and remains a country that contracts for its governance. As burdensome and messy as those ongoing negotiations are we move forward into a new world. Central to this idea is education. We look to teachers, past, present, and future to give us an understanding and guide us to seek new goals. This is an awesome responsibility and one which we often forget needs to be honored.
I have mentioned a few of my memorable collection of teachers in past columns. Each one was memorable. Not every teacher was noted for the subject of what they taught but rather the joy and exuberance that they brought to the most mundane and boring subjects. As I begin my new year at Sun Yat-sen University I look forward to challenging my students to discover the new and the unknown. It is nice to have a day of recognition to begin the year. If a country of 1.3 billion people can celebrate a noble profession it seems only fitting to ask the same of ourselves. Take the time to call or write to a teacher and express your appreciation for the example that has been set.
Maine has always valued education. Perhaps it is time that the State step forward and honor the unsung heroes who have helped all of us to succeed. Now it’s off to my own students to see what I can learn from them.
Orpheus Allison
Guangzhou, China
opheusallison@mac.com
