Our personalities are a combination of our own unique traits and the impressions we have absorbed over time. These impressions are so strong that they mould our personalities and make us into the individuals that we become.

These impressions or influences are mainly those of our parents, teachers, friends and idols. Out of these people, a teacher carries the broadest definition because anyone who has taught us anything useful, not necessarily an academic subject but any aspect of life that had turned us into a better person, is a teacher.

Teachers touch our lives in millions of ways as they impart knowledge, skills and wisdom that enrich our lives. They are mentors who make us capable of facing and solving the challenges that come our way, and help us become contributing members of society and good human beings.

millions of ways as they impart knowledge, skills and wisdom that enrich our lives. They are mentors who make us capable of facing and solving the challenges that come our way, and help us become contributing members of society and good human beings.

And just like parents feel so proud when their children do well and better than them in life, teachers also feel so pleased and proud when their students give outstanding performances and become notable personalities.

Teachers are such powerful guiding forces that through their teaching, they have brought about revolutions in societies and changed the course of history and countries.

We may like and admire many of our teachers, we seldom let them know what a good job they are doing and how we appreciate it all. For their part, teachers selflessly continue showing the light to hundreds and thousands of students, unmindful of receiving any credit or applaud, but just needing attention, regard and respect in return.

With World Teachers’ Day just a few days away, on October 5, there is no better time to acknowledge, applaud and appreciate what teachers do for us. Most countries celebrate this day on October 5, including Pakistan, to generate awareness, understanding and appreciation for the vital role that teachers play in education and development.

Teaching is considered the noblest of all professions and teachers are held in high esteem in all cultures and religions. Islam lays great emphasis on acquiring knowledge and the importance of teaching and teachers. Teachers deserve the same respect that we give to our parents.

Teachers are always urging us towards improvement and betterment, and in doing so they may be either loving or strict. And just like our parents scold and discipline us for our own good, teachers can do the same too, but many a times we don’t like it or accept it. This really is not the right approach, we need to ask ourselves truthfully what the reason for that scolding was.

Did we follow all the instructions faithfully? Did we learn the lesson well? Was there anything rude in our behaviour that made the teacher angry? We will always find there was a valid reason for a teacher’s scolding and behind it was simply the aim to make us do better.

It is also common to hear students complain about teachers and look out for their shortcomings. This approach is also wrong. A teacher is more knowledgeable than us, more experienced in life and must be having the right credentials to be entrusted with the task of shaping our future.

And a teacher is also human, prone to error sometimes but that doesn’t mean we only focus on that and not all the abilities the teacher has.

Respect and affection is reciprocal, if we give it, we will receive it. When we have a good relationship with our teachers, we will enjoy the learning process and achieve the most out of it, so let us make the effort to be obedient and respectful towards our teachers and we will enjoy our school like never before.

And there is not better day than Teachers’ Day to show our gratitude to our teachers for all that they do.

Happy Teachers’ Day to all the teachers!

Published in Dawn, Business & Finance weekly, October 1st, 2016