An Ode to Teachers

When I was in the first grade I had a teacher who showed me that anger
& discipline can be expressed in many ways; she never raised her voice once & each of us respected her tremendously. Thank you, Mrs. Leonard.

When I was in the third grade I learned that with age comes wisdom, but not defeat. Thank you, Mrs. George.

When I was in the fourth grade I learned what it meant to look up to
someone, I learned compassion & kindness. Thank you, Mrs. Smith.

When I was in the sixth grade I learned what it meant to have comrades, & how much further you can go when you’re not alone. Thank you, Mrs. White.

When I was in the seventh grade I learned what passion was, & how
important it is to chase your dreams. Thank you, Mrs. Tipton.

Through high school I learned how to balance & prioritize, I learned the importance of dedication & to never let anyone but yourself decide your fate. Thank you Dr. Beger, Mr. Higgins, Mrs. Hammer, Mrs. Carson & Mrs. Johnson.

& Through each summer I learned a sense of adventure, responsibility &
most importantly, how to remain a kid at heart forever. Thank you, Ms. Carolyn.

From the very first day of school, bottom lip quivering, knuckles white from clutching our brand new lunch box in our shaky little hands… to the day we cross that stage, long robes, square hats, & giant grins plastered on our faces, we are students. We are students of teachers. We are students of teachers who deserve a bow, deserve to be honored, or at the very least, deserve a pay raise.

I’ve had just a taste, a smidgeon of a taste of what goes into being a
teacher & I have to say.. holy cow!!! Not only does it drain every bit of energy you have, but it requires creativity, patience, discipline, & tenacity. It’s about making the lesson sound fresh & new, even if you’ve just taught it three consecutive times before. It’s not getting discouraged when you’re grading papers & the averages are lower than expected. It’s constantly coming up with new ways to teach the material so that those averages go up. It’s about sending your favorite student out of the class for disturbing others, even when it breaks your heart.

Our teachers work so hard to educate us, to prepare us for the big world that lies ahead. They pour their hearts & souls into molding our minds, hoping that they can make a lasting impression…or at least get us to pass their class. 😉 They’re the true MVPs.

Mrs. Tipton once told us to never ask someone how they are doing if we
don’t have the time to hear their response. It had nothing to do with
theatre or the play we were currently working on but it has stuck with me through all these years. You never know what’s going to stick with
students, what will reach through our hollow skulls, but those things that do, they matter, & they’re important & regardless how small, they impact us in unbelievable ways.

So I just wanted to say thanks. Thanks to all the teachers I’ve ever had & thanks to all the teachers that are. Kudos to you guys, I think you have the hardest, most important job in the world.
Here’s to the teachers!