What being a great teacher means to me

To inform, to edify, to instill, to guide, to enlighten, to enrich, to inspire. All of these words describe what great teachers should do. A job of a teacher means different things to different people. For some, a teacher is simply a person who informs students about "necessary information" like historical facts, math formulas, or literary works. Yet for others, teachers are so much more. 

A great teacher is not only brilliant, but is exciting to watch and listen to. One can tell an excellent teacher from the next when you can see passion in what he/she teaches. They give their students not only their knowledge, but also their passion. It is off putting for a student when faced with a teacher that teaches only because it's something they have to do, a job that will pay the bills. A teacher that oozes out passion would give students a stronger love for the subject and for the time spent each day that a student was to attend this class, the subject would be truly be alive for them. 

Great teachers make their students feel good about themselves and most importantly, make a lasting impact.

Over the years, we meet people who enrich our lives and motivate us to do great things and in the past 20 years of my life, I have been fortunate enough to have met a handful number of these people and it is them that I will always remember for all that they've done to teach, guide, and lead me to where I am today. It is them that I will always remember that took the time to pass on their knowledge and wisdom to their students. It is them that I will always remember to have shown great enthusiasm and love for what they're doing and in turn making the subject the best it can be.

The more than ordinary academic teachers that have touched my life in more ways than 1 (ordered according the duration of time I've known them, longest to most recent):

DAD: For all the time you spent teaching me numerous subjects for as far back as memory would take me, for which I would have otherwise been lost without. For always showing great enthusiasm for knowledge and in turn passing on that enthusiasm to me. More than anything, I will always remember the time you took to help me through year 10 and year 11, which I'll always remember to be a turning point in my education.

POH SAU CHEE: For being a great year 10 and year 11 Modern Mathematics teacher. For being the only teacher in high school that made going to school actually worth while knowing missing one of your lessons would mean missing "an actual class" (i.e. for me, meaning a class where we actually learn what we were meant to learn). If it wasn't for you I might as well just sat at home and read everything up myself, not that that would've been permitted, but that is what I will always remember my high school to be like.

SALIZAH SAMAD: For making A-Levels Mathematics seem easy when it was not. For always giving words of encouragement to your students when the hardest hit. For showing great depths in knowledge. I will always remember the day when I came to you with the question, "Is sin^4 (theta) + cos^4 (theta) = 1?" and you knew exactly the link my brain was missing even before I could properly convey my dismay into words, a true mark of a remarkable teacher.

HARLINA JARKASI: For the many "great teacher traits" that I will always remember you for. For always showing great enthusiasm when teaching your subject (A-Level Physics). For all the time you must've spent writing up the more than student friendly notes. For showing genuine concern to every lost lamb in the crowd. For cherishing each and every one of your students.

ADRIAN DUDEK: For being both a great student and a great teacher. It is you among all (and I do mean every single one) of my other peers that I look up to most simply because you are not yet 22 and yet you have achieved so much with your unprecedented passion for Mathematics. You are known for the passion you ooze out for your subject, a trait that would be very difficult to miss by anyone and that truly makes the subject alive for each one of your many students. You will always be remembered by the lives that you've touched, even if for the briefest of moments. You have so many years ahead of you, years that I am fortunate enough to watch roll out, and from here on, you will only be reaching for greater heights and that in itself is more inspiration than anyone could ask for.