九月二十七日

A Teacher’s Day Full of Sighs

 

September 28 is Teacher’s Day, which is celebrated to commemorate the birth of Confucius, “The Ultimate Sage.”

On this day, Confucius Temples all over Taiwan would hold a grand and solemn ceremony dedicated to Confucius. This ceremony is highlighted by a traditional “eight-row dance” to pay tribute to the Confucian ideologies of “teaching without discrimination” and “teaching students in accordance with their aptitude.” At the same time, it is also a day to honor our teachers and acknowledge their hard work over the past year.

To many of the diligent teachers in Taiwan , Teacher’s Day is indeed a holiday worth celebrating. Unfortunately, due to constant policy change on the government’s part in recent years, more and more teachers are left with nothing more than lamentation on this special day.

The increase of vagabond teachers, the strict retirement qualification for senior teachers, the recorded demerits for student corporal punishment, and the possible elimination of income tax exemption for teachers and military personnel are some sources of worry for teachers today. No wonder our educators would sigh, “It is not easy being a teacher!”

 

 

教師感嘆的教師節

每年的 928 是教師節,也是「至聖先師」孔子的誕辰紀念。

在這一天,台灣各地的孔廟都會舉行隆重莊嚴的祭孔大典,並表演傳統的「八佾舞」,表達對孔子「有教無類」、「因材施教」理念的敬意。同時,在教師節這天,人們也會表彰及慰 老師們整年的辛勞。

對許多辛勤的台灣老師而言,教師節的確是個值得慶賀的節日。只不過近年來,由於政府的政策改變,使得越來 越多的 老師在這一天感嘆不已。

流浪教師大量充斥、資深教師無法核退、老師體罰學生會被記過處罰、再加上可能的「取消軍教免稅」都是現代老師們的憂鬱來源。難怪 許多 老師要大嘆:「師道難為」!

 

 

1.          Teacher’s Day教師節

2.          sigh (n.) 嘆息;嘆息聲

3.          commemorate (v.) 紀念;表揚

4.          Confucius孔子

5.          The Ultimate Sage 至聖先師

6.          Confucian Temple 孔廟

7.          solemn (adj.) 神聖的;莊嚴的

8.          ceremony (n.)典禮;儀式

9.          eight-row dance 八佾舞

10.      ideology (n.) 理念;意識型態

11.      discrimination (n.) 歧視;差別待遇

12.      in accordance with… 根據;按照

13.      aptitude (n.) 性向;才能

14.      lamentation (n.) 感傷;悲歎

15.      vagabond teacher流浪教師

16.      retirement (n.) 退休

17.      demerit (n.) 記過;缺點

18.      corporal punishment 體罰

19.      elimination (n.) 取消

20.      tax exemption 免稅