An A for appreciation
No amount of gifts could make up for a teacher’s dedication, but we could try, writes Marchelle Abrahams
IREMEMBER my Grade 6 teacher as being one of the most thoughtful, considerate people I knew.
She pushed us to be the best versions of ourselves we could be, and even used her after-school time to teach us how to swim at the local baths.
Unfortunately, her dedication was lost on us at the time, and we were probably the rowdiest, most inconsiderate pupils she ever had.
I never forgot her, and the last I heard was that she eventually got out of teaching because it became too much for her.
In hindsight, I regret not showing her any appreciation – even with a little note or small gift.
Because of my own experience, I now have so much respect for teachers. Like parenting, it is one of the most difficult jobs in the world.
A calling of sorts, being a teacher isn’t easy, especially when tasked with shaping the minds of a young nation.
And yes, it might seem that sometimes teachers are not appreciated as much by their pupils, but as parents we have so much admiration for the thankless hours they put in.
No amount of gifts or “thank you” cards could make up for their dedication.
To make things a little easier, we asked teachers, far and wide, what the best gifts are to give a teacher.
Here’s what they had to say…
Shamini Govender, Grades 8 - 12
“A cup saying ‘thank you’ and a little message on it. I think it is all about effort and what they can afford – even a pen with a little message would be appreciated. It shows the thought behind the gift.”
Theresa Mc Keith, Grade 3
“Anything nice would be appreciated.”
Cheryl Crouch, A Grade 1
She prefers to do away with the mandatory chocolates and flowers. “I think a gift must be something that you can keep for a long time,” she says.
“Like a mug, ornament or jewellery, so that it can remind me of the pupil much later.”
It’s not just school teachers that should be shown love. What about tertiary teachers?
Former journalism lecturer Gustav Swart
“Better grammar! “I once overheard a student saying to another ‘if it was me…’
“And her friend interjected: ‘If it were I…’
“I was so happy!”
But it seems the No 1 gift most teachers would treasure has nothing to do with material things.
Instead, they value watching their pupils reach their full potential.
Margaret Josias, Grade 1
“I think my best gift would be reaping the benefits from my hard work, such as my children receiving rewards for their creative writing, designing their own ‘thank you’ cards and writing newspaper articles,” notes.
Just recently three of her pupils’ story books were published.
“That is the highlight of my teaching career thus far!”
Fellow teacher Amanda Libala concurs: “Appreciation and co-operation – nothing beats that. I always say this to my pupils: ‘Appreciate the effort we as teachers make for you.’
Former Grade 10 teacher John Kay, with more than 10 years of experience, echoes their sentiment:
“Appreciation! Appreciation! Appreciation!”