Here’s to the Teachers

This past October, I was at a teaching conference and saw a teacher that had a great impact on me as a child. I wrestled with the idea of going up to her to say hello or not. What if she didn’t remember me or recognize me? I quickly snappedmyself out of it and put myself in her place. If I were her, would I appreciate someone coming up to me to say hello? Without hesitating, I knew the answer.

I’ve been fortunate to have incredible teachers throughout my life. My kindergarten teacher showed us that lmnop were actually five different letters, not one long one. My fourth grade teacher taught us responsibility and accountability. My sixth grade teacher treated us like people, not ignorant kids. My high school theater director shared hispassion with us and got us so excited to perform. In college, my education professor taught us to make every moment memorable with our students. When I was a student teacher, my cooperating teacher supported me every step of the wayand allowed me to develop my own teaching style. My first year of teaching was MESSY and I had incredibles colleagues to vent to, rely on, and learn from. Each experience has allowed me to grow professionally and as a person, and to thosepeople, I cannot thank you enough for making me the teacher I am today.

I’d like to think that I make an impact on my students. That I make them feel welcomed, loved, and valued on a daily basis. Will I succeed with that every time? No. But if I can say that I made that effort, that I caught the moment in time where the student confided in me, or finally figured out that super tough math problem, then this is all worth it. Kids are the most resilient people I know. They wear their hearts on their sleeves. They find reasons to laugh on the toughest days. Some days I feel like it’s been decades since I’ve been that elementary student (which it has) and some days I feel like it was just yesterday. Most of the time, it’s a good thing because I can remember the impact of a positive influence and channel it into my daily routine.

Here’s to the teachers who spend your evenings, weekends, and days off brainstorming ways to make your students lives better. Here’s to the teachers who lift one another up in your thoughts, words, and actions. Here’s to the teachers who mold minds and impact those kiddos. They are the reason we do what we do. And you never know when that student will come back in your life and tell you how much your time with them meant. And if no one has said it to you lately, THANKYOU! Your hard work and dedication does not go unnoticed, and you are loved and appreciated!

As nervous as I felt to say thank you to that teacher that day, I did. I told her that I loved being in her class, and that she was one of my favorite teachers. It’s been 13 years since I was her student, and the impact of her class has stuck with me. So please show your favorite teacher some love and say thank you! It means more than you could ever imagine! 

Happy Teacher Appreciation Week!