Madiba’s famous quote which states: ‘education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world’ highlights the pivotal value that education holds within any society, and with it, the significance of the role of a teacher.
Beyond lesson plans, assessments and work schedules, the role of a teacher transcends way beyond the four walls that make up a classroom. In the journey of becoming the leaders of tomorrow and society members of today, teachers embody that critical point that empowers youth to be ready for their present and future.
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Critical thinking, inspiration and support are mere drops in the ocean that are a teacher’s impact. What is equally as important is the recognition of teachers and all that they do.
Doing just that, a video of students from Symphony High School in Belhar, Cape Town surprising their beloved teacher with a prank and a gift has gone viral on social media, raking up 1.5 million views and almost 190 thousand likes.
The footage, shared by TikTok user @kelly_manus, shows a snippet of chaos erupting in the corner of a classroom in what appeared to be a physical fight between a group of students before a teacher – Mrs Smith – enters.
The look on Mrs Smith’s face, as many in the comments pointed out, showed a take-no-nonsense expression, and with absolutely no hesitation, she walked straight into the ‘eye of the storm’, nudging through the surrounding students to break up the fight.
Amid the ‘chaos’, Mrs Smith found no fight. Instead, the learners surrounding her stunned her with a bouquet, a gift, hugs and collective cheers. Her ‘no nonsense’ expression instantly morphed into a nose-crinkling smile filled with emotion.
In a truly heartwarming montage, the video shows one of the students reading out a message to Mrs Smith followed by a succession of cheers, kiss-blowing, jumping, hugs and tear-inducing interactions between the teacher and her students.
Take a look:
@kelly_manus Today we pranked and suprised my colleague, and wow! IT WAS BEAUTIFUL 🥹 #teachersoftiktok #school #prank ♬ what was I made for? – Instrumental – Wheeler
While it’s not clear whether it was Mrs Smith’s birthday, a farewell, a special occasion or simply a grand gesture of appreciation, what is clear is that there are few things as impactful as having a great teacher.
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Picture: Screenshots from video