In Malaysia, the proverb ‘melentur buluh biarlah dari rebungnya’ has undoubtedly rung in our ears ever since our years running around the school grounds. From this saying, we recognise that the influence to shape a youth’s mind is powerful as every piece of knowledge and experience will paint the lives of these youths, transforming them from a blank canvas to their own unique masterpiece. The saying ‘great power comes great responsibility’ is true for educators worldwide as they help mould the next revolutionary generation. To create a masterpiece, the number one step of painting a blank canvas is finding the right colours.

I believe that a great painting requires gallons of the colour ‘patience’. One of the best examples of this colour is my mathematics teacher at Taylor’s College, Mr Kumar. One of his most iconic strategies while teaching is going around the class and listening carefully to each and every student’s enquiry. He always answers every question, curiosity, and misunderstanding with a reassuring tone and a sincere smile. When I struggled to understand the optimisation of trigonometry, he taught me unwearyingly, step by step until it was crystal clear. He gave my classmates and I the courage to step out of our comfort zone and to ask for help even for the small little things to make sure we really understand the content he teaches and help us learn from our mistakes.

Abundant strokes of the colour ‘hope’ is also a very exquisite colour for a glorious painting. My English teacher in Tunku Kurshiah College, Mrs Manimala, is an angel sent from heaven as she helped me become the best version of myself, I could be. She realized the untapped potential in me and pushed me towards improvement by believing in me even when I didn’t believe in myself. I distinctly remember her cheering me on with a joyful smile that shined on her face during my PT3 results day. Every ounce of support she gave me through high school has made me feel more confident in myself and made me believe I could achieve anything with determination and hard work.

Last but not least, a magnificent work of art requires multiple layers of the colour ‘passion’. My economics teacher at Taylor’s College, Mr V, always has colourful and exciting ways to help us understand our syllabus. He teaches us with a combination of YouTube videos, presentations, and even a short quiz at the end of the class to motivate us to engage in high levels of critical thinking. With amusing real-life examples to fascinating world economics statistical data, he always knows how to make the class lively and full of energy. His youthful personality and enthusiasm have taught me to be true to myself, be optimistic, and appreciate the happy little things in life.

All in all, these three primary colours of patience, hope, and passion have helped me unlock the secondary colours for my pallet, which are courage, determination, integrity, gratitude and optimism. As every child paints their own blank canvases, all we can do is guide them to greatness to be a unique work of art. Together, these colours could paint countless masterpieces for the next generation.

Gathering all these masterpieces in a gallery, we create a diverse community, completing each other as a society. Living our daily lives with these colours on our palettes, we will thrive in the job market, contribute to economic growth, and make meaningful contributions to our community. In the words of Michael Jackson, we will “heal the world, make it a better place, for you and for me, and the entire human race”.

I would like to express my sincere appreciation and gratitude to all the teachers who have touched my life in one way or another. To the teachers who taught me how to read and write, to the ones who challenged me to think critically and creatively, and to the ones who supported and encouraged me every step of the way, thank you. I am grateful for the countless hours that you have spent preparing lessons, grading assignments, and providing feedback. I am thankful for your patience, dedication, and passion for teaching. I appreciate the knowledge, skills, and values that you have imparted to me, and I am confident that they will continue to shape my life in positive ways.

To all the teachers out there, please know that your hard work and dedication do not go unnoticed. You have a profound impact on the lives of your students, and your contributions to society are immeasurable. Thank you for all that you do and know that you are appreciated and valued. Once again, thank you for helping us colour our blank canvases and shaping us into the masterpiece that we are.

To our real life superheroes we call our teachers, we love you. Happy Teacher’s Day!

Aisyah Farhana is currently in her second semester at Taylor's College, studying South Australian Certificate of Education International (SACEi), formally known as South Australia Matriculation (SAM).

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