Teacher Appreciation

It is teacher appreciation week and most people can name a really amazing educator who made a difference in their life. I immediately think of a few. This has been an especially rough year for educators. Teachers are leaving the profession at alarming rates. I had a few opportunities to fill in and sub this winter when there were barely enough teachers to keep school open. It was hard and for the first time I am appreciative of all the ones that graded my papers and marked me present, rather than just the select favored ones.

I made good grades but no one was accusing me of ever being a good student. In first grade, Mrs. Gabbard sent me home with notes safety-pinned to my shirt for talking back. She wasn’t wrong. Mr. Wade gave me multiple d-halls than for talking and passing notes in class. I thought he was cute and was happy to spend the extra twenty minutes with him afterschool. Since he was also the 7th grade football coach he often had the stern, older, female teacher next door do his detentions, so the joke was on me. The GT specialist gave me logic problems and thick chapter books to keep me quiet. I devoured them all. I could never understand why the choir teacher never picked me for solos, now I know it is because there was nothing wrong with her hearing. Mrs. Holmes landed me my first F on a quiz grade in sixth grade science. I learned how to fail and that lesson has served me ever since. My physics teacher was way too easy. I bombed the AP exam, but I became a physics teacher myself. Physics always felt fun to me and I loved teaching it. I wonder if she had pushed harder, that maybe I would have done better on the AP exam but likely would have hated the subject. I snuck off campus and ate entire cheeseburgers and chocolate shakes behind my music stand. I’m sure I was not fooling anyone. I constantly challenged my American studies teachers. I toilet papered their houses. I got sent into the hallway, often. Yet they answered by giving me leadership roles. Some teachers read us poems on the first day and others read the syllabus in monotone. I learned to be inspired and how to look like I am taking notes when I was really writing them. I had teachers that wouldn’t let me in the room even a few seconds late without a d-hall slip. I had others that were rarely on time themselves. I had teachers who pushed me, failed me, questioned and others that let me slide. Ones that could not remember my name and ones that saw me and inspired me. I had a few amazing teachers. Ones that I have tried to emulate, but I mostly had dozens of teachers who did the hard work every day. Some held me accountable and some offered me grace. Some were too hard and some were too easy. Some tolerated me. Some disciplined me. Some delighted in me. And I’ve come to the realization that I needed them all. The teachers of the year, the average ones and even the ones that I thought I hated. They collectively shaped me and prepared me for a world full of diverse expectations. They taught me that there are times for fun and times to pay attention. There are allowances and there are consequences. Some applauded my brashness, others forced me to taper it -both are still needed. Kids need consistency and accountability, but they also need grace and kindness. Kids need to be pushed and affirmed. They need to be encouraged to dream big and also need to find their niche. You can’t get all that in one person. Even my bad teachers taught me really important lessons.

One year my son had a teacher that I had a few issues with. I was ready to request a conference and ask for a schedule change, but my middle schooler was wiser than I was. He asked me to let him figure it out. And he did. He learned how to adjust to a person’s systems and rules that did not make sense to me. He learned to play the game. I prefer that he learn content, but let’s be honest in the real world – that lesson was equally as important. Maybe even more so.

I never thought about my teachers as actual people, even when I hid from them in the grocery store. I never thought that maybe they were grumpy because they were going through a divorce. I never thought that possibly they hadn’t graded my test yet because they were up all night with a sick child. I never imagined that they were nervous on the first day too or that maybe we were watching a movie because showing up was absolutely the best they could do. I think that maybe many adults have forgotten that teachers are people as well. I’m not saying my teachers had it easy (I mean they had me in class), but I am saying that the role has changed significantly. Parents who think they get it - don’t. I’ve only been out of the classroom for a few years. People often ask if I miss it and I tell them I miss parts of it. The truth is I don’t think I could do it anymore. I think the job is too much and too hard and I admire the heck out of anyone who can and does. The amazing ones and even the average ones. Teachers are people and they have had a hell of a year or three. This week is teacher appreciation week and at a time when so many people and politics seem critical, I’m glad for a week that shines at least a small light and usually has extra goodies in the break room. Appreciate them, but it isn’t enough. We also need to respect them. Affirm them. Trust them. See them. The ones that give your kids As, the ones that don't take their late work and even the ones that take too long to grade the work. They are all deserving and teaching us something.