Last Friday, May 15, Colombia had its Teachers’ Day celebration.

The date for teacher’s day varies from country to country, although there is an official World Teachers’ Day celebrated on October 5. I guess we have two days to celebrate in Colombia which is not unusual.

A national teacher strike was settled days before the official date for Teachers’ Day, so most educators were able to receive some sort of gift from students and school administrative officers alike. I personally got chocolate chip cookies and a bunch of Facebook likes, not bad for working with adults!

With advancements in technology the role of the teacher will inevitably have to change. I agree that we are witnessing a global revolution in terms of access to learning material via the web and it seems that if you have a working internet connection you can learn almost anything anywhere. But I guess the role of the teacher goes beyond the subject matter. My best teachers have been the ones who have helped me grow as a person and have shared their knowledge in order to contribute to society in general. The best teachers at BSR Idiomas are the ones who get feedback not only for their command of material but also for their sensitivity and understanding of the student’s needs.

Could this type of teaching be maintained via the web? What is the ideal balance? Time will tell.