Sunday 5th October is the United Nations World Teachers Day; celebrating the role teachers plan in providing quality education at all levels. Teachers the world over will be recognised for the work they do – in the classroom and out. For some teachers, their circumstances are far from typical.
Celebrating World Teachers Day in Bermuda
UK teacher, Mhairi Flood-McCaw will be celebrating World Teachers Day on the other side of the world. Mhairi is a foreign languages teacher at the Somersfield Academy, an international school in Bermuda. “I’ve always enjoyed the challenges and adventures which come with living in a new place and working in an environment which embraces and encourages many different styles of teaching which give me the opportunity to grow as a teacher,” she says. “I love living in a warm, sunny climate. The island is small; less than 21 square miles. It has some breath-taking beaches.”
You can read more about Mhairi’s experiences in Bermuda here.
Celebrating World Teachers Day Online
John Willoughby teaches Psychology online to International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme students aged 16 – 19, who are based in schools around the world. He is currently travelling across North America, from Florida to the state of Washington, teaching his classes as he goes: “I’m not missing a heartbeat with my students whatsoever during this journey. I have my computer and two monitors with me…and my wife and three kids! My students are from all over the world. My classes are truly global; the students are not sharing a local culture or a local school atmosphere. It really creates a unique and a dynamic atmosphere within my ‘classroom’.
I’m not just another player on my students’ online videogame! One of the things I have to overcome as an online teacher is proving to my new students that I’m authentic, a real teacher and not just a digital personality. It doesn’t take too long for them to realise that the communication that I can offer, although it doesn’t have as much of that personal face-to-face feel, is really fast, is constant, and is dynamic.”
Find out more from John about being an online teacher here.
Congratulations to all teachers everywhere. Whatever or wherever your classroom, we salute you this World Teachers Day.
