“WHAT do great teachers do?” I was asked this question recently. While there is no ‘right’ answer, there is an obvious and simplistic one. Great teachers don’t just teach; they connect with students in ways that make learning inspiring. Great teachers instil a hunger to know and do more. Great teachers help students enhance their skills. Great teachers create a love of learning and empower their students.

On World Teachers’ Day today, it’s vital to revisit the role of teachers in the lives of their students. The impact of teaching doesn’t necessarily come from results — that is a small part of a teacher’s role. World Teachers’ Day reminds us that a teacher’s role encompasses much more than producing outcomes and enabling achievement.

Their influence echoes through communities, workplaces, and nations. Interestingly, in Pakistan, one in four public primary schools are single-teacher schools. For thousands of students, their single teacher is not only responsible for delivering curriculum content but is also a nurturer, mentor, guide, and role model. A teacher has the power to create or break possibilities for students and to build or deflate self-esteem in children. Great teachers invest time and patience in their........

© Dawn