Voice 1
Hello, I’m Marina Santee.
Voice 2
And I’m Ruby Jones. Welcome to Spotlight. This programme uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.
Voice 3
“Education is the great engine that helps people to develop. Education makes many things possible. Through it, the daughter of a poor man can become a doctor. The son of a mineworker can become the head of the mine. A child of farm workers can become the president of a great nation. It is what we do with what we have that is important.”
Voice 1
These are the words of Nelson Mandela. Mandela became the first president of the new South Africa. And he knew the truth of these words in his own life. He used the education he received to change his country’s history.
Voice 2
Education is one of the basic human rights. That is, it appears in the UN Declaration of Human Rights. And on the fifth of October 2007, the world is celebrating the people who provide education – teachers! World Teachers’ Day is a time for students to thank their teachers for all the hard work they do. And it gives teachers a chance to talk about matters that concern them. Teachers’ Day 2007 is concentrating on “Better working conditions for teachers”. The organisers believe that this will lead to better learning conditions for learners.
Voice 1
So what do the organisers of World Teachers Day mean when they talk of ‘better working conditions’ for teachers? They mean a positive working environment, with safe classrooms, a good supply of resources and the right number of students in the class. Male and female teachers should receive the same amount of money. And this amount should be enough to live on. Teachers should also help decide education policies. And they should have the chance to receive more training if they want it.
Voice 2
These conditions would be the best for teachers to work in. But around the world, conditions in real life are often very different. Here is Nadia’s story. Nadia is a teacher in school number seven in Sliven. Sliven is a town in Bulgaria. Many of the students in her school are gypsies, from Roma families. The Roma people have a tradition of moving around from place to place. They have no permanent home. This makes it difficult for children to attend school for the whole school year. Nadia says,
Voice 4
“Sometimes it feels like I am building on sand. You work hard with a group of students. And you start to think that they are making progress. Then, half the group disappears for several weeks. Why? Well, many Roma work on farms during the harvest season. And they often take their children with them to work too. So, we try to negotiate with the parents. We make sure that the children take their school tests before they leave school ...
‘It is the Romani girls who have the most problems. Often their parents remove them from school when they are twelve or thirteen. The parents may have chosen a man for their daughter to marry. And they want to prepare her for that new kind of life.”
Voice 1
But for Nadia, there are also positive sides to her job:
Voice 4
“I feel like this is real life. I feel like I must give the children all the help that they expect from me. This involves being many things: carer, adviser, teacher! In the classroom we have many problems. Language is one – the younger Romani students cannot speak Bulgarian. We do not have a teacher who can speak the Romani language. So the older Romani children have to translate for them. Also, children from different groups and areas do not like each other. Their parents do not want them to be in the same class. But I love to try and find solutions to these problems. And the children finish their early school years with a good set of skills. That is very satisfying!”
Voice 2
Nadia has been a teacher in school number seven for twenty [20] years. Some of the Romani mothers were her first students. And they now send their children to Nadia’s school. They have seen how she fights for them to have a good education. They know that Nadia cares about her students. And so they trust her with their children. The link between teacher and students is a very strong one.
Voice 1
There have been many famous teachers all through history – teachers who have influenced people’s lives. For many people, one of the best examples of a good teacher is Jesus Christ. The Bible talks about how he spent a lot of time with his followers. He created a positive learning environment. How? Well, he was always willing to answer his followers’ questions. And, he loved to use stories from the world around him. This often helped his followers to understand his teaching better. Jesus set a good example in everything that he did. And he prepared his followers for the time when he would no longer be with them.
Voice 2
What about you? Do you remember any of your teachers? Did any of them have a big influence on you? Some time ago, I visited one of my old teachers. He helped me a lot with my studies at college. I was sure that I was going to fail. But he encouraged me to keep trying. And in the end, I passed my exams. During my recent visit, I thanked him again for his help. I told him that I remembered something he had said a long time ago: “Teaching is an act of love.” Later, I worked as a teacher. Then I understood what he meant. Teaching is not simply filling up an empty child with information! You have to care about your students – to relate to them in a meaningful way. You have to win their trust and be a good example to them. This can be a long process. But the results are usually worth it.
Voice 1
Few teachers would claim to be as good at teaching as Jesus Christ was. But World Teachers’ Day is a time to celebrate all teachers – to remember the good work that they do and to say a big ‘thank you’ to them for it!
Voice 2
How are you celebrating World Teachers’ Day? Do you have any stories about your teachers? Write and tell us! Our address is radio @ english . net.
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