With Gratitude for Our Teachers

Today, I had the honour of delivering the following two-minute statement in the Legislature to mark World Teachers' Day:

“I rise today to honour World Teachers' Day. I stand before you as a former teacher. It was my absolute pleasure to engage young learners, enjoy their curiosity and be energized by their awareness and their humour.

“I taught children with autism, children with learning disabilities, children with a myriad of interests and pursuits. I wanted the children I taught to see all sides of a question, to seek fairness and to possess tremendous humanity.

“My students are adults today, many of them parenting their own children. It is a joy when they stop by to say hello. I couldn't be more proud of their accomplishments or their achievements.

“The teachers I had the privilege to work with are magical — Max Caroll, Marlene Yurichuk, Bosso Gill and countless others.

“It was my privilege to attend the 45th reunion of David Thompson Secondary on Saturday last. Teachers came out to acknowledge a grad class that they last saw as students in 1966. The memories were fresh. The stories were wonderful. Students and teachers alike shared stories of events that transpired 45 years ago.

“Schools and teachers will always have the ability to inspire future generations.

“It is generational work. Whether it is the teacher I met last year in Cairo or the plethora of international students and teachers that come from across the globe to Richmond, teachers understand that students desire a sense of belonging.

“Schools and teachers assist in building civil societies.

“Thank you to all the teachers across the globe. My daughter wants to be a teacher. She will have wonderful colleagues who today are celebrating World Teachers Day.”

Please visit my website at www.lindareidmla.bc.ca