Celebrating World Teacher’s Day

Education is at the heart of everything we do at OUP. Teachers have the power to transform lives, so to mark World Teacher’s Day 2020, OUP’s leaders share stories of the positive impact teachers have had on their lives.

David Clark, Academic Division MD, OUP

‘I’ll call out Paul Henley who taught me history when I was 14. I have had lots of great teachers since, formal and informal, but no one made me more excited for a subject or for trying to understand the world better. He urged me to write some books, but I am very glad to be part of an organization publishing them instead.’

Peter Marshall, ELT Division MD, OUP

‘For me, it was Mr Campbell, an eccentric English teacher whose passion for literature and poetry opened new worlds to me and led me to a last-minute change of mind about which subjects to read at university. At the time I don’t think my parents were very impressed but, looking back, letting my heart rule my head was the right decision. Teachers play a critical role in society and influence our lives in many different ways. It is important that we continue supporting them around the world as they adapt to new ways of working through the pandemic.’

Fathima Dada, Education Division MD, OUP

‘I have so many memories of teachers who positively impacted my life over the years, but there are two that stand out. In my first grade, I was at a Catholic school and my first teacher was a nun, Sister Edith. I loved Sister Edith, she had a perfect blend of discipline and compassion and I was awestruck by her pristine habit. In Grade 1 I was determined to become a nun! Then, at university, my Professor and Head of Department, Prof. Devi Bhagwan, was a huge influence on me. I grew up in apartheid South Africa, so having a role model who was so intelligent, controlled, and elegant had a huge impact and influence. I was also so lucky because she was my mentor and tutor. So much gratitude to all my teachers.’

Susan Armour, Group Ethics and Compliance Officer, OUP

‘My high school English teacher, Mr Ken Wall, had a love of reading and writing that was utterly contagious. No assignment felt ordinary. Mr Wall was never interested in a right answer; he wanted to know your answer, understand your thinking, and follow your analysis. Mr Wall forced us to think and read and write in a new way. He challenged us to think critically about the poetry, short stories, and novels we read, and to find our voices in our writing. Mr Wall taught us that our voice matters. That is a precious gift.’

We are committed to continuing to support teachers’ great work, enabling them to inspire the next generation and beyond.

Hear more about how teachers have influenced our employees in this short video