They are the ones who smile at you when you walk through the
door after a particularly difficult morning. Somehow, they always know when you are having a bad day, and
they offer that wide and sincere smile just when you need it the most. They are the ones that can sense when
you don’t understand something, and rather than get frustrated at you, they sit
down, touch your shoulder and say, “It’s alright. We’ll figure this out together. You’ve got this.”
They are the ones that refuse to give up on you when you have shut
everyone out, they are the ones that bring you a jacket when you don’t have
one, or bring you lunch everyday when you are hungry. They are the ones that give you a band aid when you fall and
scrape your knee, the ones that make the whole class sing “Happy Birthday” on
your special day, and the ones that bring you a tissue to dry your tears when
you feel like giving up, and then they are the ones that sit and listen, no
matter how long it takes. They
are the ones who give you a hug when you don’t have anyone to hug you at
home. They are the ones that make
you love reading and math again, and the ones that find ways to bring out your
creativity and break through your shell.
They are the ones that come to your high school graduation eight years
after they taught you, and the ones that come to your school play because it
means that much to you. They are
the ones that make you laugh, they make you want to be a better person, they
make you learn things you never thought possible, and they make you realize the
person you can truly be.
They are much more than just someone who teaches…
This week is Teacher Appreciation Week. It’s a time to truly sit down and think
about the teachers that have made an impact on your life. This week isn’t about free meals, or
presents, or gift cards. It’s
about taking a moment to reflect on how educators impact this world every
day.
Where would any of us be without teachers? This is a simple question, guys. But REALLY think about it. Doctors, lawyers, NFL players, nurses,
TV Anchors, electricians, actors, hair stylists, etc. No matter what you do for a living, you got there because of
your teachers.
As a nation, we severely depreciate teachers. I’m not talking about our paychecks,
either. Our title is taken for
granted by both teachers, and non-teachers alike. Being a teacher is a blessing, a gift, and an honor. It’s time we start looking at the
profession in a more positive light, and give credit where credit is due. Many times, the spotlight is given to
the teachers that make bad choices, and we completely ignore the teachers that
make daily sacrifices, and dedicate themselves to educating and touching the
lives of every student that walks through their doors.
We need to celebrate teachers every day, and not just during
Teacher Appreciation Week.
There have been many teachers, both academically and
professionally that have impacted my life for the better. They have each claimed a small piece of
my heart, and have helped shape me into the educator that I am today. This post is dedicated to them…
Mrs. Chrissy Matthews
Mrs. Matthews is the reason that I became a language arts
teacher. I had always been a
strong bibliophile, but when I entered language arts in 7th grade, I
re-discovered my love for reading and writing. Mrs. Matthews found a way to highlight our individual
strengths, and she brought our books to life. We read A Wrinkle in
Time, and learned about Greek Mythology. These are two units that I now do with my own students. I will never forget how my mom and I
spent countless hours creating a 3D replica of the Greek goddess, Artemis, and
Mrs. Matthew kept that replica in her classroom for years to come. My true love for books and the written
word began in that classroom at Tarpon Springs Middle School.
Mrs. Wolfe
In 5th grade, I had the most insane, crazy, loud
teacher, and I absolutely loved every single second that I spend in her
classroom. We used to have a
military-style system to monitor behavior, and we all had ranks that we had to
move up in, and we had to walk through the halls marching, and shouting
cadences. This system was the
basis for my own Writing Boot Camp that I created my second year teaching. I also remember singing “Bringing Home
a Baby Bumblebee” with Mrs. Wolfe on the bus when we went to Sea World for a
field trip.
One of the
distinguishing traits of a remarkable teacher is the ability to leave an
imprint on the lives of your students no matter how many years pass.
I will never forget the day that our class had to choose our
roles for the highly anticipated trip to Enterprise Village. We each were chosen for a “real life
profession,” and we were expected to hold that job in a simulated town for one
day. The most coveted position was
that of the town Mayor, and all of the popular kids in the class applied for
this position. I was much more
reserved, and more of an introvert at that time in my life, and I discreetly
applied, even though I was sure I wouldn’t get chosen. Imagine my surprise when Mrs. Wolfe
announced that I, Mari Barrera, would be the Mayor on our class trip to
Enterprise Village. I will never
forget that feeling, and I will always cherish this memory I have of an amazing
teacher making me feel like I was the most important person on the planet…even
if it was only for one day.
Mrs. Jeannie Dunning
On my very first day as a teacher, I was 22 years old, and I
had never ever set foot in a classroom as an educator. Needless to say, I was terrified. I will always hold a place in my heart
for Jeannie, because as a veteran language arts teacher, she helped me through
that incredibly difficult first year.
She had patience when I called her throughout the day for help creating
a lesson, she gave me resources from her own personal collections of teacher
books and binders, and she let me sit in the back of her classroom many days
while I took notes on legal pads.
I believe that every new teacher needs a strong support system to guide
them, model lessons for them, and just be an ear when they need a moment to
vent. Jeannie was part of my
support system that year, and I honestly don’t know what I would have done
without her.
Mrs. Carolyn Erickson
The girl with the blue. Carolyn is one of those teachers that makes an impact on not
only her students, but her colleagues as well. When I am thirsty for creativity, Carolyn is the person I
turn to. I have never seen a
teacher create so many amazing, engaging lessons for her students, and who
would literally give the shirt on her back to help someone in need. Carolyn has impacted me as an educator
in more ways that I can count, and our school literally would not survive
without her. She is our
cheerleader, and never ceases to amaze me. Whether it’s pioneering the Infinity Academy so that some of
our students can have a blended learning environment, coming up with the money
out of her own pocket for a student’s family to keep their electricity on, or
developing the most creative and interesting assignments for her students to
lose themselves in, Carolyn has dedicated 110% of herself to her kids, and I
admire her more that she’ll ever know.
Mrs. Lorena Judkins
One of the best parts of being a teacher is having friends
to go on the crazy journey with you.
I met Lorena at our new teacher breakfast, and realized very quickly
that she was not only a brand new teacher like me, but also someone who wasn’t
afraid to speak their mind. I also
realized that she was on my team, and would be teaching alongside me. That first year, we went through it
all…together. We learned how to
control our emotions and tempers, how to deal with parents, and how to keep
ourselves positive every single day, even when we really wanted to scream at
the top of our lungs. She became a
life-long friend, and I know many students whose lives she made a enormous
impact on. She’s one of those
teachers that you never forget, and one of those teachers that truly make a
difference.
Mrs. Beth Long
The teacher in my life that has made the biggest impression
on who I am as an educator is the teacher who’s been in the classroom right
next to mine for eight years. Beth
was the only veteran teacher on my team that very first year, and she was my
rock. I have been privileged to
watch her turn her classroom into an animal cell, bring amazing science camps
onto our campus during the summer to give her students experiences like
dissecting sharks, and even dress up like 80’s rocker chicks and the cast of
Wizard of Oz with me. When I was
in tears because I thought I couldn’t take it anymore, Beth helped pick me back
up. When I had an observation the
next day, she helped me tweak my lesson plan. She was named our school’s Teacher of the Year this year,
and she couldn’t have been more deserving. Our kids would be lost without her, and I know I would be as
well.
The number of teachers that have walked into and out of my
life are too high to count, and I wish I had the time to thank each of them
individually. To each person that
I have worked with over the past eight years, you are inspirations to me, and I
am so blessed to have had they chance to work beside you. Your impact will never be taken for
granted, and I hope you know that you are loved, appreciated, and admired.
Please take some time this week to thank a teacher that has
had a part in shaping the person you are today. This is not an easy profession. Anyone that would say that has no idea what it’s like in a
real classroom. I get so angry
when I hear the phrases, “those who can’t, teach,” or “anyone can be a
teacher.”
Anyone most certainly
CAN NOT be a teacher.
It takes a dedicated, hard working, big-hearted, patient,
tenacious, non-squemish, loving, and gritty person to be a teacher.
Thank you to every single educator, past and present. Thank you for being a role model for
our children. Thank you for being
persistent in your quest to instill knowledge into their minds whether they
accept it or not. Thank you for
CHOOSING to be a part of the education world, and for sticking with it day
after day.
It IS worth it, you ARE making a difference, and YOU are
appreciated.
“A good teacher is
like a candle. It consumes itself
to light the way for others.” – Mustafa Kemal Ataturk
