World Teachers’ Day 2018: An opportunity to celebrate the work of teachers and pay respect to the profession
World Teachers’ Day 2018 will be celebrated in Australia on Friday 26 October.
The Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia (AHISA) has commended the work of the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) for promoting a national response to World Teachers’ Day 2018.
AHISA’s CEO, Beth Blackwood, said the stories that had already emerged as part of AITSL’s campaign revealed the profound influence of teachers in helping young Australians to achieve their dreams – and even to aspire beyond those dreams.
‘Teachers are Australia’s everyday heroes,’ said Ms Blackwood. ‘They work with students and their families to help young Australians acquire the knowledge and skills that build the pathways to opportunities beyond school. At the same time they help our young people develop the social and emotional capacities we will expect of them as young adults.
‘Teachers are essential in helping Australia to develop our future citizens, and it is appropriate we celebrate our teachers as a nation.’
Ms Blackwood said teachers were easy targets for blame when governments were attempting to make a case for education reform, yet teachers were relied on as agents of change and school improvement.
‘World Teachers’ Day is a great opportunity to recognise just how much we rely on teachers and to give teachers and the profession of teaching the respect they deserve,’ said Ms Blackwood.
