Teaching is amazing.
Yes, I know it’s exhausting. Yes, it is crazy. And yes, it can even be incredibly frustrating.
But isn’t it also the most rewarding, most fulfilling, most exciting job in the world?
Stop a moment and remember just how amazing your job really is. The opportunity to teach young people and influence their lives is just incredible!
How can a job that can be so fulfilling also be so discouraging? So draining?
I think one big reason is that we don’t always see the results of our efforts right away. In fact, we sometimes don’t see them until years down the road – if at all.
But the results are there. Growth just takes a long time. And we’re not always there to see it.
Teacher, know that you are making a difference. Even though it may not feel like it.
Teacher Appreciation
This week is Teacher Appreciation Week, a time when parents and students try to show their appreciation. But this is something that we need to be doing throughout the year.
Yes, I said we. We teachers need to be encouraging other and building each other up. Showing our appreciation for both our colleagues and our former teachers.
Which is exactly what I’d like to do right now. As I thank some of my former teachers, take a minute and think who you should thank. Then send them a message or drop them a quick note. Your words might be exactly what they need to hear.
Thank You!
I want to thank every single one of my teachers – whether I specifically mention you or not. I know your work was challenging. And I’m very thankful for the time and effort you put into teaching and training me. I wish I could thank each of you one-by-one, but there are just too many teachers who have poured into my life. For this, I am grateful.
In particular I’d like to thank….
Miss Rutherford: I don’t remember much about third grade, but I remember thinking you were amazing. And I know that you are the one who first made me want to be a teacher myself.
Mrs. Harness: You made junior high sound so intimidating and did everything you could to prepare us. And you did a great job. I remember starting 7th grade and thinking, “This isn’t so bad. Mrs. Harness sure got us ready!”
Mrs. Jaggard: Thanks for teaching grammar and wetting my appetite for writing. Everyone said you were tough, but we know it most certainly was tough love. And as a result, we sure learned a lot.
Mr. Nelson: Thank you for being authentic, for truly caring about us, and for loving the Lord with all your heart. You had – and still have – every one of your student’s respect.
Mr. Cook: Although you are no longer with us, your legacy lives on. You kept us laughing, showed us you cared, and made history come alive. We will never forget you.
Mrs. Cook: I’m not sure if I’ll ever end up sewing another skirt, but we sure did enjoy our Home-Ec classes. And I still love French!
Mr. Scarfi: Dad, thank you for making math so easy to understand. Not many teachers can do that, but you do. I’m glad I can think back to how I learned a concept when I try to figure out how to explain it to my own students.
Mr. Rausch: Your enthusiasm was contagious, and you made me love playing the flute. Thank you for making music come alive and for making learning it so much fun. You were absolutely amazing.
Mrs. Wolvin: I remember thinking that running the mile was the hardest thing in the world. And when you mentioned running two miles – well, that was just impossible. And we were convinced it was also completely unreasonable! Thanks for putting up with our craziness. 🙂
To all my college professors, thank you! With only a few days a week for one semester, you don’t always get to make as personal of connections, but I so enjoyed my classes at Pensacola Christian College, and you did a great job of not only teaching us the academic knowledge but also how to think Biblically about it. In particular, thank you to…
Mrs. Edmonds: Your classes made me finally understand what literature was all about – and how to teach it.
Mrs. Thompson: Thank you for not only being a great English teacher but for teaching us how to teach English. You worked so hard! I know this because you were so exhausted one day during our teaching presentations that you could barely keep your eyes open. That’s dedication – and all of us that are now teachers know exactly how you felt!
Dr. Hullinger: You made the Bible so real and relevant. You made me see things I’d never seen and understand things I’d never understood. And you awakened a thirst for the truth – not just the surface knowledge I’d know my whole life.
Mrs. Howe: Thanks for adding to your already full teaching schedule by teaching us college students how to teach math. You are amazing.
Miss Maloney: This may sound like a very unusual thing to thank you for, but thanks for giving me my first B. I needed to learn that my best is enough – and that life lesson was worth so much more than another A.
Mr. Zila: You made a 1 1/2 hr first-period history class so interesting that I actually looked forward to it.
Dr. Smith, Mr. Lane, Dr. Crawford, Dr. Howell: I loved learning advanced math and physics from you.
Miss Weaver and Mr. Collins: Thank you for being great mentor teachers during my internship. You taught me so many practical things that I used daily in the classroom.
Finally, all my colleagues at Cornerstone Christian Academy: You taught me more than anyone else. Thank you for the encouragement, advice, companionship, and Biblical friendship. I would not be half the teacher I am without you.
What teacher(s) do you want to thank today? Send them a note – and share your thanks with a comment below.
Photo by Gunjan Karun