Estonian Teachers’ Day – October 5. From 1960s to Nowadays

Abstract

Teachers’ Day is celebrated globally on various days of the year. The official celebration began either in 1965 or earlier. UNESCO established the World Teachers’ Day in 1994 to focus on work and achievements of teachers. Teachers’ Day has been celebrated at schools in Estonia since the 1960s. At that time, the best students became teachers, and lessons were given primarily to younger classes and at basic school. The newer rules in the 1990s became much more exciting, according to which teachers really changed roles with students (embodied as students), disguised themselves, and chose a certain style. Behavioural patterns and norms also become free: teachers live out by teasing: scattering paper planes, disturbing lessons, talking and being naughty, do not bother to answer. But students may also be shown what their teachers are like outside school: talented musicians, performers, experimenters, and so on. At the end of the day, they can return to the original rules: a coffee table made by students and flowers for teachers, a visit from the rural municipality, city government or education department, and congratulations. In addition, and above all, this is a day where teachers are excited because they are just great. We see many rapid role changes, changes in norms, parody and ridicule, black humour along with the implementation of various scripts.