In his classic 1926 book Microbe Hunters, bacteriologist Paul de Kruif described Louis Pasteur's fiery attempts to reinvigorate his young, disheartened students. Pasteur, of course, was to become a pioneer in microbiology — in the mid 1850s, he denounced the popular opinion of scientists at that time that "germs" were endowed with the ghostly ability to "spontaneously generate" — rather, Pasteur argued that microscopic life thrived unseen within the visible world and was even a source for human illness and disease. But like many great researchers, Pasteur's insight and enthusiasm extended to his mentorship of budding scientists. As Kruif writes, he once shouted at them to ‘Do the same experiment over again — no matter if it failed last time — it may look foolish to you, but the important thing is not to leave the subject!' The legacy of Pasteur lives on not only in our labs but in our classrooms, worldwide.

In all disciplines, and notably in the challenging world of scientific discovery, our teachers are the scaffold for our success — their investment and enthusiasm provide models for our own aspirations and curiosities. Many of us remember the words of teachers long after their first utterance, and have been motivated by these words to change or excel despite obstacles to learning.

Protecting the rights and status of teachers while attracting new graduates to educational careers is challenging in a vulnerable global economy. In 1994, the United Nations Organization for Education, Science, and Culture (UNESCO), an intergovernmental organization whose mission is to encourage a sharing of ideas globally and to foster peace cross-culturally, founded an annual World Teachers' Day celebration. The day is one for reflection — as either students or educators (we are often both). Ask yourself: how has a teacher inspired me? How can I inspire someone else toward teaching? How can society protect their educators and recognize the fundamental role they play in enriching our culture and developing our world?

For World Teachers' Day to be influential, it must be recognized internationally, and global celebrations are encouraged on this day. This Spotlight invites you to explore the mission of World Teachers' Day organizers and supporters, listen to last year's dialogue among educators, and look at ways to Take a Stand for Teachers, the 2012 theme.