International Day of Education: Celebrating the People Who Shape Our Future
Next week, on January 24th, International Day of Education gives us a moment to pause and reflect on something so many of us rely on, but often take for granted: education. Not just lessons, exams, books, or homework – but the people, emotions, pressures, triumphs and life-changing experiences wrapped around all of it.
Education shapes us academically, socially, emotionally. It teaches us who we are, how we think, and how we find our place in the world. And yet, behind every child sitting in a classroom is a whole network of humans doing their absolute best – teachers, parents, support staff, students themselves – all navigating a system that’s under immense pressure.
The Demands on Teachers: More Than a Job
As the wife of a primary school teacher, I see the reality behind the classroom door every single day. Teaching isn’t just teaching anymore. It’s counselling, crisis management, therapy, behaviour support, safeguarding, and emotional anchoring – with a bit of maths and English in between.
The demand on teachers is higher than ever. And I think most people would be surprised at just how emotionally draining it can be.
The workload hasn’t necessarily changed.. but the emotional wear and tear? That has skyrocketed.
A recent Telegraph article blamed “Abysmal parenting” for the rise in poor behaviour in schools. But is that fair? Parenting today is harder, more pressured, more overwhelming than it used to be. Many families are juggling full-time work, rising costs, limited childcare, and the mental load of modern life.
So who’s to blame?
Parents? Teachers? Society?
The truth is.. maybe no one. Maybe everyone is simply doing their best in a system that’s overstretched and under-resourced.
Teachers are often expected to fill every gap – emotional, academic, behavioural – while also navigating mountains of admin, safeguarding concerns, complex needs, and constant pressure to “do more, be more, give more.”
All before 9am.
Behind the Scenes: A Teacher’s Life at Home
At 7:30am, my husband is already in school.
By 5pm, he’s home just in time to see the kids.
And then – once bedtime chaos is complete – the laptop opens again to tackle admin, planning, marking, or unexpected tasks from a day that didn’t go to plan.
Balancing teacher-life and fatherhood is full on. But becoming a parent has given him a deeper understanding of what it feels like to hand your child over at the school gate. Teachers know the responsibility they carry. They don’t take it lightly.
And as a partner watching this from the outside, you learn two things:
- Teaching is not “just a job”.
- Teachers give so much more of themselves than most people will ever see.
Parents: Advocates Navigating a Tough System
Parents are doing their best too – often advocating for children in what many people describe as a ‘broken’ system.
Some are fighting for SEND support.
Some are trying to manage behaviour challenges, friendship troubles, or anxiety.
Some are just trying to get their child out of the door in one piece.
Parents and teachers aren’t two opposing teams. They are – and should be – partners trying to support children in a very human, very imperfect world.
The Joys: Why Education Matters More Than Ever
For all the pressure, teaching also brings joy.
Massive joy.
In my husband’s eyes, education is the best gift you can give anyone. He stayed in education until he was 21 simply because he loved learning. He still does.
Of course, convincing kids of that value is another challenge entirely – especially in a world where everyone wants to be a YouTuber by Friday.
But teaching and learning are exciting, hands-on, and community-driven. Schools are places where children learn who they are, not just what they know. They discover friendships, resilience, confidence, curiosity.
Education helps children blossom. It gives them tools to shape their futures – whatever they choose those futures to be.
The Children at the Heart of It All
And then there are the students – the most important people in the entire system.
Some children look back at school as the best years of their life. For others, school is a place of struggle – academically, socially, emotionally – often because the support they needed wasn’t available, or the system wasn’t built for the way their brain works.
So the question is:
How do we create a future where more children look back on school with warmth, joy, and pride?
Where more of them fall in love with learning?
Where more of them thrive academically and emotionally?
Where more of them continue their education beyond school because they feel empowered, not defeated?
The answer isn’t simple – but it begins with valuing education, supporting teachers, and recognising the humanity of every child who walks through a classroom door.
A Hopeful Vision for the Future
On International Day of Education, we celebrate the incredible work happening in classrooms across the world. We acknowledge the challenges – because pretending they don’t exist helps no one. But we also celebrate the joy, the passion, the magic of learning.
Education is more than a system.
It’s a lifeline.
A community.
A chance.
A spark that can change the entire direction of someone’s life.
Let’s keep fighting for an education system that supports teachers, uplifts parents, and truly meets the needs of every child – academically, emotionally, and socially.
Because every child deserves to look back and say:
“School shaped me. Supported me. Believed in me. And helped me become who I am.”
And every teacher deserves to feel:
“I made a difference today.”
Head to our Inclusion Calendar to add this date to your calendar and discover other dates to celebrate.
