Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Gift Giving Reversed!

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She made me dream,
She made me wonder,
She made me question,
She made me apologize,
She made me spell,

She made me write,
She made me READ!


She taught me how to help others,
She taught me how to create peace,
She taught me how to be respectful for nature,
She taught me how to survive the life,
She taught me how to LOVE AND MEAN IT!

Most importantly, she made me understand that math is the most important lesson and the basic of life. I should use my brain when
playing with numbers but everytime I should follow my heart by what I make.

Who made a difference in my life, and taught me important how to's?


MY TEACHER!
She was my first teacher in elementary school.

Every November 24th, I certainly take some time going back thru my very good memories and then turning my eyes on this very special treasure, a fine gold-plated teapot, as above.

This is a teacher's gift! Maybe surprised? When I was in elementary school, my teacher gifted my parents because of my leading success in the classroom. Following the years to come, of course I gave flowers and gifts to my teachers but this is so special as I've been gifted by my teacher. Her unique efforts in showing me the right way are unforgettable for me. And, this gift is a treasure that makes me remember her all ways.

I remember very well... those years...

I was little. The representative of our class was gathering money from the parents to buy the gifts for the teachers. Every year around the new year, this gift tradition was being done for Mothers' day and the Teachers' Day. Since we were two sisters following up each other in only 1-year -like twin we were grown up-, I remember how irritated our parents were every time when they were asked for money. Because my parents had to pay twice for each occasion.

Today the time is changed a lot as we know well. Now the students are having serious problems about what to give and-or not to give gift(s) to the teachers. Most of the time, teachers are not pleased with the cheap presents or a bunch of flowers but they like to have brand or expensive things from the families. Unfortunately I do not find appropriate this kind of stressful and materialized gift giving to the teachers. The pressure is here, if every parent has paid then you are also expected to pay to give a gift even if you don't really like it. In my opinion, the value of expressing emotions can not be overstated in order to enhance the relationships. Whereas it can reduce the quality of education system.

What do you do? Do you buy gifts to the teachers of your child and find it extremely important?

In our fast-paced, hectic and economically not so good world only a very few people take the time to write a good card or even a little note, maybe a call to the teachers. Should we not forget them! Hereby I would like to express my feelings and big sympathy from my part of thanking our both old and new teachers. I am also coming from a family in which three generations are teachers.

Today they are being gifted by their students and celebrated with various cultural activities in the rest of the country, because Happy Teachers' Day in Turkey.


7 comments:

  1. Beautiful post, Nihal. I must say that in our classes we never bought gifts for the teachers, this good habit did not exist at all.
    Have a very nice evening!

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  2. Sevgili Nihal hanım,öğretmenlerimizi el üstünde tutmamız gerektiğine inanıyorum,hele sizin bu diyalog ve davranış karşısında daha içten davranmalı ve saygı duymalısınız.Sizden de bu beklenir zaten.İşlerinizde başarı yaşamınızda sağlık dileklerimle.

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  3. Morning, Nihal,
    That is a beautiful post. I had the gift of a wonderful teacher...Mrs. Parr was her name. She was my music teacher from kindergarten all the way through the 12th grade. She was such a positive influence in my life! Even after I graduated from high school, she still sent me a Christmas card every year until she fell ill. I have one that I treasure and framed it so that I can set it out each year at Christmas. I see it, I think of her and it brings me joy. It's like the book you sent me....I see it and I think of you and it brings me joy. Yesterday, was our 41st anniversary and I have to say "thank you" again for the lovely book that you gifted me with only a year ago. :-)

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  4. @ Arabalife: Welcome to my site, and huge thanks for your lovely note:) Kindest~

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