Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1417022
13 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 6 OCTOBER 2021 OPINION Dr Colin Calleja & Dr Michelle Attard Tonna Dr Colin Calleja and Dr Michelle Attard Tonna are Dean and Deputy Dean respectively of the Faculty of Education, University of Malta Yes, teachers matter YESTERDAY, 6 October, was World Teachers Day. Teachers are the most important asset in any educational sys- tem, and it is thus important that we re- mind ourselves of the crucial role they have in society. Particularly these last two scholastic years, teachers were under a huge strain because of the pandemic. They had to redesign their lessons, their pedagogies, the way they engage with their students and collaborate with their colleagues. They had to ensure that all students were being supported and they had to give their very utmost to reach learners who were becoming increasingly absent or invisible. They had to be heroes and perform at incredible levels in situations which were unpredictable and unprecedented. Perhaps the biggest influence that teachers have are on their own students. Students carry with them what they are given by teachers throughout the rest of their lives. They will use what they have learnt to influence society. This puts a great responsibility onto teachers, because the values they impart are going to be owned by the generation of students that they teach. It is also an opportunity to influence society; to shape leaders of the future in a positive way for society; to inspire children and to change lives for the bet- ter. Teaching is tough, but knowing that you can make an impact in a person's life is also a privilege. As a Faculty, we take pride in nur- turing teachers who show compassion; who understand their students' person- al lives and remain positive for them; who appreciate students' academic goals and achievements and push them to strive for these dreams. Teachers are here being taught to be a source of inspiration and motivation; to show their students how to be a good person by being a good person them- selves. It is for these reasons that we strive for quality. Having quality teachers does not depend solely on their preparation, but also on the environments in which they work. Teachers go into teaching because of its intrinsic benefits – their love of teaching, engaging with their students and the satisfaction of seeing them thrive. However, the amount of money they earn, their working conditions, the leadership models in their school, and the buildings they work in influence their satisfaction, their job, and the way they interact with their students. We believe that retaining teachers in the profession is just as important as attracting them. When a teacher leaves the profession we experience a loss of expertise; expertise that took years to develop and that can be so beneficial to learners. In order to improve student learning we must also target teachers' motiva- tions, their capacities to work and their sense of wellbeing. We thus use this opportunity to ap- peal to decision-makers to collaborate. We have the obligation of developing a quality profession; we must support each others' efforts and work in tan- dem to ensure that our students receive the best quality teaching and that our teachers are motivated and encouraged to address any challenge which comes their way. We also appeal to teachers to engage in discussion with us; tell us about their bold ideas and expert practices; share their narratives and open up about their concerns for their students. This dialogue can help us understand each other better – we work at different levels but we all strive for the same aim, the students' wellbeing. We hope all you teachers out there en- joyed a happy World Teachers Day.