This is the official week we recognize teachers for all they do day in and day out – Teacher Appreciation Week 2012. However, we should celebrate teachers every day year-round. All of us can attribute where we are, who we are, and what we do to at least one teacher in our past or present. Take the time to thank them. You don’t know how much it may mean to them.
Educators need to be lifted up instead of continually blamed and torn down in the media and political arena. So, today I want to thank the teachers who inspired me to become a journalist, teacher, administrator, husband, and father.
As a student I had several great teachers – Mrs. Herd – 3rd grade, Mrs. Burnett – 4th grade, Mrs. Harris – 5th grade, Ms./Coach Mercer – 7th grade, Coach Hob (Roberts) and Coach Sammy (Perkinson) high school basketball coaches, Mrs. Jennings – senior English teacher, Mr. Stubblefield – college journalism advisor and professor, and Hutch (Mr. Hutcherson) college journalism professor. Each of them contributed in some way to who I am as an individual and directly or indirectly led me to my career as a former journalist and teacher. I don’t know if any of them are on twitter or will ever get a chance to read this, but I will be reaching out to them to thank them for inspiring me and guiding me to where I am today.
Thank you ALL! Each of you contributed to my current self in some way. Whether it be through inspiration, telling me how proud you were of me for accomplishing the smallest of tasks, pushing me to do more and work harder, encouraging me to do my best even if my best wasn’t “the best,” thanking me for doing “the right thing,” not treating me different even though I was a statistic (F/R lunch/low SES), giving me hope to better my self some day, telling me and encouraging me to be the first member of my family to attend and graduate from college, and allowing me to make mistakes and not holding it against me because you remembered I was a kid and we ALL, young and old, make mistakes.
To my coaches who taught me teamwork – relying on and working with others to accomplish a goal, pushing me to do things I never thought I could, not letting me quit when it would have been easy to do, treating me fairly and firmly, rewarding me for hard work, and reminding me that the lessons learned on the court and field would some day carry over to my professional and personal life.
To you ALL – thank you! I am where I am today because of each of you!
To the teachers I have the pleasure to work with now and in the past – you each have something special to offer our students. Everything we say and do makes a difference in the lives of our students. We may never know how big of a difference we make, but if we each think back we can pinpoint moments in time that shaped our lives.
Be the inspiration! Be the difference in the life of our students!
One day some of them will return and tell you how much you meant to them and shaped them into who they are. Teach everyday as if it were your last. Teach with passion and heart! Make a difference!
The Extraordinary Life of a Teacher by Krissy Venosdale @ktvee
“Oh, I’m just a teacher.” No you’re not! You are so much more. Great post and reminder!
Teacher Appreciation Videos via @edutopia and @videoamy
There are 12 videos included and they will run concurrently. Some are better than others and are very motivating and inspirational. Enjoy!
Crazy Things People Say To Teachers and How To Respond by @weareteachers staff and courtesy @eyeoneducation
We’ve all heard these before. Here are some great resonses 
Enjoy and add to the list if you have some.
I hope you all have a wonderful week!
I have to respond that I have heard all the “crazy things people say” and I’ve heard (& sometimes felt) “I’m just a teacher.” People ask me what I teach and what grade level I teach and they look at me like I’m crazy when they hear my answer. They will say comments like “I don’t know how you do it…I can hardly stand my own 13 yr old, much less 150 others.”
Becomming a teacher is not a choice people make based on the “schedule.” It’s a calling. Anyone who makes the choice to become a teacher because of “summer’s off” will not last in this profession for very long. It’s a calling.
I can’t put my finger on what exactly ‘calls’ one to this professions. I believe it’s something different for every teacher. But I can say for sure we are not called to this profession for it’s title, it’s salary and it’s reputation. We aren’t called for the technology, the administration, or the parents. If we were, we would be greatly disappointed because there’s little support in these areas. The one thing that keeps coming to mind when I wonder what calls us to teaching is the kids. I learn as much from them every year (maybe more) than I teach them. I love learning and I love discovering and it’s even more exciting when we can do it with a group of young minds.
It truly is about being a “world changer.”
Thanks for your comment Mary. You make a very valid point about teachers answering the “call” or “calling” if you will.
It is all about the students and learning from them.
Thank you so much for all you do for our students each and every day.