Thank You, Teacher!

Should have said something, but I've said it enough.
By the way my words were faded,
I'd rather waste my time with you.
- Blue and Yellow by The Used.

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Situation: After a class one morning in school.

Class monitor: Stand up! Thank you teacher!

Class: Thank you teacher!
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Do you remember? After EVERY class in school, we were taught to thank our teachers upon their departure from our class. Oh, how sweet the memories. :) But do we remember why we said "thank you" to them? Was it out of genuine gratitude that our teacher had passed something down to us and in doing that, made us more knowledgeable, and overall better people? Or did we say it just because "that's what you do when the teacher exits the class"?

I'm not sure about you guys, but upon reflecting, I have found that I am in the latter category. There was nothing genuine, nothing honest in my "thank you teacher" for the whole of my 11 years of primary and secondary education. I've finally found the true meaning of those words, mere words, in tertiary education, where there's no class monitor to order you to stand up and greet the lecturer. If you want to give greetings, then it's because you truly want to. The same goes for thanking the lecturers. The situation depicted above does not happen in lecture halls. If you wanted to show your gratitude to the lecturer, then you would have to do it on your own effort.

The words "Thank You Teacher" carry a very big meaning. When you say that, you are actually expressing your appreciation to your teacher who has sacrificed an hour or two hours of his/her life just to make you a better person, so that you can make your parents proud, so that you can fulfill your destiny, so that you may realise your true potential and be great and take your nation to greater heights. You should not be saying it just because... That's not the way it should be.

Teaching, to me, is the most under appreciated profession there is, especially primary school teachers. They may be looked down upon in society, but their responsibility and significance towards the world is as high as any honorary Pullitzer-prize winning Professor, because if that Pullitzer-prize winning Professor did not have a teacher when he/she was young, there is no way that he/she could have achieved whatever achievements that have come his/her way. Yet, most of us cannot even remember the names of our primary school teachers, let alone acknowledge them for our accomplishments. (I am guilty of this too).

As a future teacher, I need to pledge to make my students understand the importance of the words "Thank You Teacher", because that will lead to a future generation of better people, and in making that, creating a better society. A better society creates a stronger nation. What more can we ask for, right?

So here's to my past teachers who have taught me so well until I have become the person that I am today. "Thank You Teacher!!!"

Dialah pemberi paling setia
Tiap akar ilmu miliknya
Pelita dan lampu segala
Untuk manusia sebelum manjadi dewasa.

Dialah ibu dialah bapa juga sahabat
Alur kesetiaan mengalirkan nasihat
Pemimpin yang ditauliahkan segala umat
Seribu tahun katanya menjadi hikmat.

Jika hari ini seorang Perdana Menteri berkuasa
Jika hari ini seorang Raja menaiki takhta
Jika hari ini seorang Presiden sebuah negara
Jika hari ini seorang ulama yang mulia
Jika hari ini seorang peguam menang bicara
Jika hari ini seorang penulis terkemuka
Jika hari ini siapa saja menjadi dewasa;
Sejarahnya dimulakan oleh seorang guru biasa
Dengan lembut sabarnya mengajar tulis-baca.

Di mana-mana dia berdiri di muka muridnya
Di sebuah sekolah mewah di Ibu Kota
Di bangunan tua sekolah Hulu Terengganu
Dia adalah guru mewakili seribu buku;
Semakin terpencil duduknya di ceruk desa
Semakin bererti tugasnya kepada negara.

Jadilah apa pun pada akhir kehidupanmu, guruku
Budi yang diapungkan di dulang ilmu
Panggilan keramat "cikgu" kekal terpahat
Menjadi kenangan ke akhir hayat.

Nukilan SN Dato Usman Awang

Assalamualaikum and good day!