Thank A Teacher

Today. Teacher Appreciation Day. The one day out of the year where everyone stops and says, “Hey, let’s thank a teacher.” Now, as a teacher myself I love this day. Why? Because I get free Chipotle and Chick-Fil-A duh! Ha! Yet, I’m not writing this as a teacher. No, I’m writing this from the viewpoint as a spouse of a teacher. Yep, I married the best Freshman math and Spanish teacher in the world. He’s the total hottie in the photo above rocking out for one of his schools events. You can all gush now and say awe. Teachers, we all see the sacrifice you guys make and it deserves some love.

So to Preston and all the teachers out there: Thank you!  

THANK YOU for caring about each student like they were your own. Thank you for getting to school early just to help with extracurricular activities, answer questions for students, or just have your room open so they can all come hang out and chat about their life in a safe environment. Thank you for doing professional development so you can have the best, most effective teaching method out there. Many times going to conferences on a Saturday or after school and more than likely using your own money and transportation to attend. Thank you for making sure each students’ needs are met. Thank you for praying for them. Thank you for using your own money to purchase materials to better the students’ lessons. Thank you for the constant emails and phone calls to parents and guardians letting them know how their child is doing in school and with friends.

Thank you for working the part-time job or summer job to help supplement your family’s income because the salary during the year just doesn’t cut it. Thank you for taking time out of your evening or Saturday just to go to the students’ sporting events simply because they asked you to come. Thank you for constantly coming up with creative ways to make sure every student understands the concept you are teaching. Thank you for going to school, loading yourself with student loan debt, just so you can go help impact the lives of your students. Thank you for never settling for average and many times rocking your Masters Degree. Thank you for the late-night grading and constant revamping of your lesson plans.

Thank you for buying the gift wrap, the spices, and the candles so the student can attend a conference. Thank you for going to the fundraisers on your break and attending the dinners on Friday night to thank the donors and community for their support. Thank you for all the little things you do throughout the day that go unnoticed. Thank you for making a C+ feel like a million dollars. Thank you for allowing the students to challenge themselves, to step outside the box, and to think bigger than themselves.

I know there are days were you sit in your car before you go in and question was it all worth it. Was the time, the money, and the sweat all worth it? Should I have gone out and done something else? Should I have gone and been the lawyer or the doctor or the accountant?

We’ve all thought it at least once. If you haven’t you haven’t been teaching that long. Don’t worry it’ll come, but when it does as soon as it comes you’ll get flooded with memories of amazing kids. So, teachers, remember that you are loved, that you are important, and that without you a lot of these children wouldn’t have the discipline, structure, love, and self-worth that you pour into them daily to help them become the best stewards they can possibly be in life.

So thank you. Thank you for making this world a better place.