The theme for this year’s World Teachers’ Day is ‘Valuing teacher voices: towards a new social contract for education’. A new social contract implies that a teacher’s role is broad and could include filling a gap for a child who may be lacking key influences in their life. Creating an environment for a student to be inspired is a critical piece to the puzzle. Our teachers play a crucial role to educate our young. Nevertheless, having this responsibility can be profoundly more difficult depending on the unique circumstances of each child and their approach to learning.

For Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Hockey Olympian Tom Wickham, sport provided him with an outlet from all the chaos going on in his life at the time. However his teacher who he affectionately calls “Mrs G” helped to create a sense of serenity during this crucial time of life for the youngster.

School was a challenging time for Tom. However, Mrs G took the time to understand the challenges that he was having at a personal level. Mrs G opened her home to him and provided an escape from difficulties he was experiencing. Being seen as an individual was something that really helped Tom. Taking the time to create that personal connection he credits as a stabilising force during this period of his life.

“As time goes by, there are many people that leave my memory. Every so often a flashback of individuals or moments come back. However, Mrs G, she is someone I will never forget! She has had an impact on my life that was only for the better," Tom said.

“There were many things, but if for nothing else she found common ground. She was a human being, and she saw me as one.

“Due to Mrs G treating me like a human being, she was able to see through the turbulence and chaos going on in my life. She opened her home to me and created an environment that was calm, peaceful and loving."

When asked about World Teachers' Day and the role of teachers within the community, Tom spoke not only about education but about supporting children and creating an environment to thrive in.

“With regards to World Teachers' Day if you want me to be truthful and honest, the role of a teacher is especially important. You have an opportunity to genuinely have an impact on the future leaders of our time. This is a great responsibility and how you nurture and inspire has the potential to impact on many levels.

“There are special people out there that do an amazing job. Absolutely! However, it is an absolute responsibility that you have in your hands to nurture and create an environment that lets every young human, learn and tap into their own uniqueness. Not try to put them in a box.

“Teachers have one of the most important and critical jobs for our future and as a teacher you do have a real opportunity to change a young child's life. How you do that is important to how that individual may flourish.

Tom was truly thankful for the positive contribution of having a teacher like Mrs G in his life, “I wish there was more Mrs G's in my world when I was a youngster.”

Today teachers around Australia are being celebrated as part of World Teachers’ Day. The Australian Olympic Committee is celebrating all Aussie teachers – from Olympian teachers like Elle, to teachers who share the Olympic spirit with their classrooms, and who inspire their students to have a go at a sport or to chase their own Olympic dream.