World’s Teachers Day 2009 (Oct 5th)

My parents (both of them) have been teachers (well, professors more like it) for longer than I’ve been on this planet. All my brothers and myself have taught. Two of my brothers, my Mom and I all have PhDs which means that we are qualified to teach at the university level. And my late Auntie L was an elementary school teacher. So I was delighted to hear from my friend Erica Hargreave (who is also a teacher) about World’s Teachers Day.

5 October is a day to celebrate teachers and the central role they play in guiding children, youths & adults through the life-long learning process. This year, World Teachers’ Day will focus on the role of teachers within the context of the global financial and economic crisis and the need to invest in teachers now as a means to secure post-crisis regeneration.

It is critical, during these difficult times, to seek mechanisms that protect the teaching profession. It is also crucial, despite the crisis, to ensure that investment in teachers is sufficient and proportionate to the demands made upon them. It is the teaching force with its knowledge, experience and foresight which can bring new insights to global solutions. Join us in celebrating this!

Teaching is not only in my genes, but it is in my blood, it is in my soul and it’s something I adore doing. I have taught at all levels (high school, undergraduate, Masters and PhD), I have taught in different languages (mostly Spanish and English) and I have taught in different countries. I have taught a broad variety of subjects: strategic management, microeconomics, environmental management, environmental policy, public policy, leather chemistry and even some social media stuff.

The most important thing is, I teach because I am passionate about it. I love shaping my students’ thinking processes. I love sharing what I have learned. I love helping people grow and learn. It pains me whenever a semester goes by and I don’t teach (something that luckily will be remedied starting this coming Saturday!) I am hoping that in January, I’ll be teaching at least one (if I’m lucky, three) courses at the university level.

To my Mom (who is still a professor at her university), my brothers (who are both assistant professors in US universities), to my former PhD supervisor and my instructors/professors/teachers, my friends who teach in each one of their respective countries, and everyone else who is a teacher in one way or another, my congratulations. We are all contributing in one way or another to the growth of our societies.

Happy World’s Teachers Day! You can follow WTD on Twitter.

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