It's a pleasure, it's an Honor...

to be a teacher. Today in India is Teacher Day. The walk that normally takes me 10 minutes from my apartment to the Chemistry lab to the cafeteria, took me more than double the time. I was back at Coral Gables in the years 1994-1995 when Sole was attending "The Little Cavaliers" and the walk from the parking lot to the Nursery room, was such an eventful walk with something new everyday, if it wasn't the chirping of the bird, it was the shape of the water puddle here that was different from the one there and an explanation was needed! Today it was because every person I met on the way stopped me to wish me "Happy Teacher's Day". I was explained by many that today India celebrates teachers in honor of a past president who was a Physics teacher, whose birthday was September 5th. He was such a dedicated teacher that on this day the country thought they would honor him by honoring all teachers. Isn't that a beautiful thought? I wish I could make my family and friends understand the great joy it gives me to be a classroom teacher. When I have difficult moments with Administration, with parents of students who are rather unhappy with the way I am teaching their children or with some students who would rather be anywhere but in my classroom (my "columbines" as my friend Gisele calls them!!), some try to encourage me to get out of the classroom and do something else with my life. It might feel to the outside it's a lot of work for very little recognition or peace of mind. A guess speaker at Coral Gables had suggested to us teachers to cut out a hand model, paste it on the wall, at shoulder height and from time to time go tap our shoulder to the wall whenever we felt like a pat on the back :-) Today with all the good wishes, I have stored a few pats that will lasts me for a while! How do I explain, nothing would give me as much pleasure but to be among this incredible group of people whose life's work is being celebrated today?!
The kids were incredible! One young man in my class was rather unruly at the beginning of class in my first period. (Yes, Hildegarde, they can be just like our kids State side!!) A few minutes later, he asked permission to stand, apologized to me for his behavior and wished me a Happy Teacher Day! There was one morning assembly this morning for classes 7th to 12th. The upper class students (4 of them) were sharing with the school their presentation for a competition that they have been working on, on the Carbon footprint of their community at Daly College. During tea time, they came to the tea room to apologize to the faculty for not having wished us Happy Teacher's Day before getting into their presentation. They really take this seriously, here!!
I thought I'd add a short clip of morning meditation at DC. You will only hear the students as I felt a bit shy videotaping such a special moment of their day.