Although World Teachers’ Day was yesterday, I am still reflecting on the incredible impact teachers have had in my life and countless others. It feels important to keep the appreciation going beyond just one day.
Every October 5th, the world honors teachers, those who shape minds, build futures, and transform communities. World Teachers’ Day recognizes their dedication, resilience, and impact everywhere.
Teachers often inspire curiosity, challenge thinking, and create safe spaces to learn. From busy city schools to remote villages, their work goes beyond subjects. They teach empathy, critical thinking, and perseverance.
Cerebral palsy affected my education in many ways, especially my visual perceptual skills. Visual perception is the brain’s ability to interpret what the eyes see. For someone with cerebral palsy, this process can be disrupted, making it difficult to judge spatial relationships, recognize shapes, or understand complex images.
Geometry was particularly challenging for me because I struggled to view flat shapes clearly. I couldn’t plot points on a graph. Labeling diagrams was nearly impossible.
Art class was another hurdle. When pictures contain many different colors, shapes, and patterns, I find it hard to focus on any one part of the image. Most of my art is quite simplistic for this reason. I tend to use similar color schemes and shapes to help me maintain focus and express myself.
When I was in school, my teachers often found ways for me to complete the same work as my peers. This was especially true in my math and science classes. When I took geometry in my sophomore year of high school, using a graphing calculator made it easier to understand the material. Plotting a graph on the calculator was simpler for me than doing so on paper.
When I took anatomy and physiology during my senior year, seeing body parts on a skeleton model was easier than labeling diagrams on paper. My teacher recognized my struggles and found something that worked for me.
This kind of accommodation made a meaningful difference. It showed me that teachers are not just instructors. They are advocates for their students’ unique ways of learning. Their willingness to adapt lessons empowered me to engage fully and succeed in subjects that might otherwise have felt out of reach.
World Teachers’ Day is a chance to say thank you. Teachers impact their students beyond the classroom, shaping not only knowledge but character and confidence in countless lives.
I have fond memories of my school years, and that is largely because of the many wonderful teachers I have had. To all my teachers, I want to say thank you for your patience, encouragement, and belief in me. Your impact has shaped who I am, and I carry your lessons with me every day.
Sources:
Staake, Jill. “World Teachers’ Day 2025: A Day for Recognition and Support.” We Are Teachers, We Are Teachers, 24 Sept. 2025, http://www.weareteachers.com/world-teachers-day/.
VerMaas, Jacy R., et al. ‘Beyond the Eye: Cortical Differences in Primary Visual Processing in Children with Cerebral Palsy’. NeuroImage: Clinical, vol. 27, Jan. 2020, p. 102318, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nicl.2020.102318.