List of Teachers' Days

Teachers' Day is a national holiday in some countries.

Albania

In Albania, Teachers' Day is a non-official holiday on March 7, right before Mother's Day, which is on March 8 (see also Public holidays in Albania).

China

In China, Teachers' Day is celebrated on September 10 since 1985, one of the three holidays established for professionals (the other two are for nurses and news reporters).

Czech Republic

In the Czech Republic, Teachers' Day (Den učitelů) is a non-official holiday, celebrated on March 28, birthday of Jan Ámos Komenský (Comenius). Children are expected to bring their teachers flowers. Public officials use this day to show appreciation to the profession (e.g. [1]) and reward best teachers.

India

In India, Teachers' Day is celebrated on September 5, in honour of Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, its second President and a noted educationist. At some schools on this day, the responsibility of teaching is taken up by the senior students as an appreciation for teachers.

Traditionally, people in India have given tremendous respect and honor for teachers. In fact an old Indian saying (usually taught to children), ranks teacher in the third place, even before god: "Maa, Pitha, Guru, Dhaivam", meaning Mother, Father, Teacher and God.

Latin America

The Latin American international Teachers' Day is on September 11, commemorating the death of Domingo Faustino Sarmiento, an Argentinian politician and respected educator. This establishment was agreed on during 1943's Interamerican Conference on Education, held in Panama.

Many Latin American countries, however, have a separate national Teachers' Day better accorded with their own history. In Brazil, Teachers' Day is October 15. In Mexico, in September of 1917, the Federal Congress decreed May 15 as Teachers' Day. May 15, 1918 was the first celebration of this holiday in Mexico.

Russia

In Russia Teachers' Day is on October 5th. Before 1994, this day was assigned to the first Sunday of September.

South Korea

In South Korea the Teachers' Day (스승의 날) is on May 15. On this day, the teachers are usually presented with a carnation by their students, and both enjoy a shorter schoolday.

Taiwan

In Taiwan it is celebrated on September 28. The day honors teachers' virtues, pains, and also their contribution not only to their own students but also to the whole society. People often make use of the day to express their gratitude to their teachers, such as paying them a visit or sending them a card. This date was chosen to commemorate the birth of Confucius, believed to be the model master educator in ancient China.

In 1939, the Ministry of Education established the national holiday to be August 27, the attributed birthday of Confucius. In 1952, the Executive Yuan changed it to September, stating that it was calculated to be the precise date in the Gregorian calendar.

The festival celebration occurs in the temples of Confucius around the island, known as the Grand Ceremony Dedicated to Confucius (祭孔大典). The ceremony begins at 6 AM with drum beats. 54 musicians dress in robes with blue belts, 36 (or 64) dancers dress in yellow with green belts. They are led and followed by cermonial officers. Three animals -- the cow, the goat, and the pig -- are sacrificed. The hair plucked from these sacrificed animals are called the Hairs of Wisdom.

In addition, local education institutes and civil offices award certain teachers for their excellence and positive influence.

Thailand

January 16 was adopted as Teachers' Day in the Thailand by a resolution of the government on November 21, 1956. The first Teachers' Day was held in 1957.

USA

In the United States, Teachers' Day is a non-official holiday on the first Tuesday in May.

The National Education Association (NEA) describes National Teacher Day as "a day for honoring teachers and recognizing the lasting contributions they make to our lives" [2].

The NEA gives a history of National Teacher Day:

The origins of Teacher Day are murky. Around 1944 Arkansas teacher Mattye Whyte Woodridge began corresponding with political and education leaders about the need for a national day to honor teachers. Woodbridge wrote to Eleanor Roosevelt who in 1953 persuaded the 81st Congress to proclaim a National Teacher Day.

NEA along with its Kansas and Indiana state affiliates and the Dodge City (Kan. ) local lobbied Congress to create a national day celebrating teachers. Congress declared March 7, 1980, as National Teacher Day for that year only.

NEA and its affiliates continued to observe Teacher Day on the first Tuesday in March until 1985, when the National PTA established Teacher Appreciation Week as the first full week of May. The NEA Representative Assembly then voted to make the Tuesday of that week National Teacher Day.

[3]

As of September 7 of 1976, September 11 was also adopted as Teachers' Day in the U.S. state of Massachusetts.

Vietnam

In Vietnam, Ngày nhà giáo Việt Nam (Vietnamese Educators' Day) falls on November 20. On that day, students get the day off from school, but are expected to visit their current and former teachers at their homes and bring flowers to show their appreciation.

External links

• Ceremonial dress in China
• Teacher's Day in Latin America (Spanish)
• Unicef World Teachers’ Day, 5 October 2004