It’s Teachers’ Day today!

I’ve been apprehensive about my writing lately, but this apprehension vanished when I opened up my web browser this morning and saw the Google Doodle!

Teachers have played such a large and pivotal role in my life that I immediately felt encouraged to reflect.

I think education is a magical process; you uncover within you the power to understand something new. My life is most captivating in those moments, that window of time where I’m challenged to expand my current understanding and mould it to incorporate new ideas.

This magical moment is often facilitated by teachers, which is why I’m incredibly grateful for all of the teachers in my life.

I believe the best teachers can curate an experience for their students by supporting them into the uncomfortable space of learning. They can find a striking balance between support, autonomy and encouragement.

When I first learned how to ice skate, I was really nervous. I was particularly scared of falling. My instructor did two things which remind me of all my great teachers. First, she fell flat on her bottom. Second, she held my hand as I took my first strides onto the ice. It’s important to acknowledge that learning is hard. Learning requires acceptance that there is knowledge you don’t possess, which can be a challenging impulse for the ego. It’s also important to feel supported as you embark in the space of learning.

Education is empowering. Education gives students superpowers and special abilities; it makes them feel worthy, capable, and helps them navigate the ambiguity of the world with a new and improved toolbox. When I think of a superhero, I think of an invincible, flying, ultra-strong, cape-wearing figure that can save the world. While this is a cool idea, wouldn’t the most effective superhero be one who can simply make more superheroes? Teachers are the superheroes that make more superheroes. I’m fortunate to have met a few of them in my life, and while I won’t claim I have super abilities, the abilities I do have are a direct result of the teachers who supported me.

Teaching is a very noble cause, therefore I carry tremendous respect for those who dedicate their time to do so. I’m motivated to iterate on myself as a means of becoming the best teacher I can be. While I’m not teaching anyone yet, perhaps there’ll be kids down the pipeline.