Sir,
I read with interest the article, “Musings on Guru Poornima Day” by Prof. A.V. Narasimha Murthy (Star of Mysore dated July 15). I would like to share my humble opinion on Teacher’s Day in the US.
AVN’s opinion based on the information given by his daughter in the US is incorrect. Being a teacher myself I have always evinced keen interest about schools and their activities during my visits to the US. I want to submit that the schools in the US do celebrate Teacher’s Day, with great interest and excitement, on the first full week of May every year, particularly the Tuesday of the week. They call it the Teacher Appreciation Week and it is celebrated at the national-level. It is a remarkable occasion for all to show their appreciation for not only current teachers but also honour former teachers like we do in India. The entire week is filled with different activities.
I appreciate AVN’s information from history and mythology (Veda Vyasa, Krishna, Guru Nanak, Basavanna and, of course, Dr. Radhakrishnan) to drive home the role of a teacher in society.
Some information about Teacher’s Day in the US and other countries while we are on the subject: The origin of National Teacher’s Day in the US goes back to 1944, when an Arkansas teacher Mattye Whyte Woodridge started the movement by talking to political and educational leaders about the need for a National Teacher’s Day. Later the National Education Association played a major role to identify Tuesday in the first week of May as National Teacher’s Day.
Teachers are also remembered and honoured all over the world on different days such as, 7th March in Albania, 6th June in Bolivia, 22nd December in Cuba, 15th May in Mexico, 16th January in Thailand and so on.
– Prof. K.V. Satyan, Camp: San Jose, California, 19.7.2017
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This post was published on July 22, 2017 6:40 pm