At every stage of our lives, there are people who leave an indelible mark. They are the ones who inspire us to be better and remind us of the transformative power of education. For many, teachers are those figures who, beyond teaching us to read or do math, awaken in their students a sense of curiosity, self-confidence, and a boundless desire to learn.
As we mark another Teachers’ Day —which, in Uruguay, is celebrated every September 22—this is the perfect time to pay tribute to teachers, whose legacy transcends time and lives on in our memories.
Ivanna Levy (a student in the Master’s program in Education), Luisina Würth Troche (a student in the Master’s program in Teacher Training), and María Machín (a student in the Master’s program in Educational Management) reflect on the impact of the teachers who played a crucial role in their educational journeys.
Amanda: The Teacher Who Helped Students Discover Their Strengths
Ivanna Levy I didn't plan on becoming a teacher. In fact, she initially trained as a certified public accountant. She considered teaching to be a “very complex and underappreciated” profession, so a career in education was not her first choice. However, various life experiences led her to realize that that was where his true calling lay.
And, several years later, there is someone who continues to have a profound impact on her professional life: Amanda, her 6th-grade teacher. “Even as a child, I could clearly sense her passion for teaching, her energy, and her enthusiasm,” says Ivanna, who adds that her teacher had the ability to help her and her classmates“identify their strengths and build on them, by fostering a desire to learn and improve.”
Ivanna fondly recalls the time Amanda encouraged her class to participate in a Science Clubs project alongside another school (where she also taught). That experience allowed her to work as part of a team with students she didn’t know at first and to develop social skills that remain valuable to her as an adult.
As part of the project, they had the opportunity to go on the radio to share what they had learned. “Although I felt a little nervous and a great sense of responsibility, I was also excited to see that what we were doing could make a real difference for many people, ”says Ivanna. The experience helped her “overcome her shyness,” and to this day she remembers that moment “with joy.”
In the end, they received a special mention from the Science Club, but beyond the recognition, what Ivanna takes away most is her teacher’s ability to make her feel like “the protagonist of her own learning” and capable of achieving “great things.”
Through her example, Amanda continues to influence my work as a teacher, as I want my students to experience—just as I did—a desire to learn and to be able to connect what they learn to their own lives.
A message for Amanda
“I would like to thank you for your efforts to inspire our desire to learn, for being a model of dedication, and for helping us discover, through observation, our values and strengths,” he says.
About Ivanna
Ivanna Levy is a student in the Master’s in Education program at Universidad ORT Uruguay. She currently teaches sixth grade at Deborah Vitale D’Amico School No. 196 and fifth grade at the Logosophical Elementary School 11 de Agosto, both in Montevideo.
Learn more about the online Master's in Education program at
Conviction as a Legacy
As a student, teacher, and “avid learner,” they are There were many teachers who left their mark To Luisina Würth Troche. Cristina, the fourth-grade teacher who understood her “sensitivity to social issues.” Iaia, who, through her classes “filled with reflection, critical thinking, and ideals,” taught her that “there is no profession more social than that of teaching.” And Miriam and her “love for the kids,” who filled them with “values, affection, and respect,” are just a few of them.
But despite their differences, there is one thing that unites the three teachers: conviction. But what does that concept mean? For Luisina, it has to do with “the commitment, enthusiasm, joy, and responsibility that come with the task of educating”: “It’s that force that motivates you to study, plan, and enjoy every single class, fully aware that you’re making a difference.”
Luisina’s teachers were, quite simply, the ones who shaped her calling and the profession she chooses every day. “As an educator who trains future teachers—and, in particular, the country’s future teachers—the conviction that my own teachers left me as a legacy is the driving force that motivates me to fight to give the teaching profession the place it deserves,” she says.
Try closing your eyes and thinking about one of those teachers who left a lasting impression on us—it really shows just how valuable their work is, because we all have a memory, a story, or a feeling that comes flooding back when we think of them.
There was a quote by José Gervasio Artigas that Luisina often saw in classrooms or heard in teachers’ speeches at patriotic ceremonies: “We can expect nothing but from ourselves.” That idea has always resonated with her; she sees it as closely linked to her commitment to teaching and to “the urgent need for teachers to educate in order to make this world a better place.”
A message for their teachers
“To all teachers who are dedicated to education and committed to transforming the world, I extend my warmest greetings on this day. My sincerest thanks go to my teachers and my students—the future teachers of this country who are training with unwavering dedication,” he emphasizes.
About Luisina
Luisina Würth Troche is a student in the Master’s program in Teacher Training. She currently teaches sociology and educational research at the Teacher Training Institute in Rosario and at the institute in Carmelo, in the department of Colonia.
Learn more about the postgraduate program "
" Master's in Trainer Development
Graciela: A Pioneer in Emotional Education
With her simplicity, grace, and kindness, Graciela left a an indelible mark on his personal and professional life from one of her students: María Machín. When she was in fifth grade in Casupá (Florida), Graciela was the teacher who inspired and encouraged her to choose that “beautiful and wonderful profession.”
She had many qualities, but María highlights her teacher’s tenderness, empathy, extraordinary patience, and “gentle, calm” gaze.“She knew how to bring out the best in each of her students by emphasizing their strengths and downplaying their weaknesses. She made you feel important, valued, and unique,” she explains.
The greatest gift she leaves behind is the fact that, even without knowing the concept of emotional education, Graciela developed various tools with that focus in mind to teach her classes. She always found just the right words for her students: she treated everyone the same, with the “love and respect” they deserved.
Even now, Graciela continues to influence María ’s daily work: “I look up to her as the kind of professional I aspire to be. She serves as a role model and guide in how I interact with students and teachers, so that I can support, motivate, and inspire them just as she did for me.”
Graciela showed us that with love, hard work, and perseverance, you can achieve whatever you set your mind to or desire in life. There are no limits or barriers when you truly want something with all your heart.
A message for Graciela
“Thank you for teaching with love, for inspiring me to be part of the art of teaching and for supporting others in their learning. Thank you for respecting each unique learning process, without ever making anyone feel left out. Thank you for treating everyone equally and instilling the belief that ‘yes, we can.’ Thank you for teaching through emotional intelligence, at a time when that concept was practically nonexistent in the field of education. Cheers to many unforgettable teachers like you, dear and admired Graciela,” she says.
About María
María Machín is a student in the Master's program in Educational Management. She currently serves as acting principal at Dr. Cyro Giambruno School No. 45 in the Department of Florida.
Learn more about the postgraduate program "
" Master's in Educational Management