TEACHERS NEED RECOGNITION.

Recognition is what I care for most. Who doesn't?

I look for recognition in the enthusiasm of my trainees. Their non-verbal language speaks a lot; their feedback is my recognition, if that has a few words of appreciation.
Recognition comes to me when my colleagues appreciate the work done, when the press reports about it, when friends call up to congratulate and finally when I am financially benefitted for all my endeavors.

The smiling faces of my students and teachers, the admiration of colleagues and the appreciation of the management; these all are important to me but more important to me than all this is when my wife asks me 'How did it all go?' and if with confidence and with my head raised, I reply that it all went as planned and I am happy. This self-recognition is the highest form of recognition to me.

After so many years of research and work with teachers I have realized that teachers are really unique and we should treat them in a unique way.

Encouragement, motivation, awards, recognition... these are all part of what teachers need to see throughout their career.

As we all know most teachers are in the profession NOT because of the salary but because they love teaching. So if we can't give them a $100,000 annual salary, why not encourage them and bring them into the social spotlight where society at large can also learn about them. That way we can "turn the table" and the image of the teaching profession will change for the better. Then being a teacher will mean more than just going to work and dealing with crying kids. It will be what it used to be - the great art of teaching and shaping kids' future.

I don't think we are giving teachers the necessary credit they deserve.

Let us start recognizing our teachers for their being teachers, for the work they do and for a thousand other good things they do.