I’ll say it again: Teachers are the best.
No bias here.
Okay, a little bias. Full disclosure: I’ve taught learners ranging from age 4 to impolite-to-ask. I’ve taught English, EFL, ESL, community engagement, tech skills, customer service, and how to be a better teacher, among other topics. I’ve taught in the US and abroad, in public schools and universities to community programs and camps. So, yes, a bit of bias.
Still: Teachers are some of my favorite people in the world, and I’m not looking in a mirror here. I’m thinking of everyone I’ve learned from, starting with my parents and stretching out into the wide world. From family and friends to teachers and professors, from coaches and advisors to mentors and managers, I’ve learned in formal and informal settings, through instruction and through discovery.
Consider this: A recent poll showed that 9 out of 10 teachers joined the profession because they “wanted to do good.” Good stuff indeed.
On National Teacher Day, I’m thinking of all the educators who are wrapping up a school year, balancing the pass-fail pressures of final grades and standardized tests with the growing awareness that time is almost up. Are there enough hours left to achieve every objective, finish the book, and check off the last item on the curricular to-do list?
I’m thinking of all of those teachers who are mixing it up, keeping students engaged, and making real-world connections to classroom conversations. What will students really remember, and what will be most useful for them to know when they’re set free in the wild?
I’m thinking, too, of all the students itching to leave the classroom — without realizing that they’ll never stop learning. Will the lessons they stumble into after school, this summer, and with their friends be more powerful than anything ever written on a chalkboard?
Lucky us — all students, all learning, every day. Whether it’s the researcher who uncovers data to power our decisions or the friend who pings us another top-ten-ways-to-whatever, we’re surrounded by teachers. The best.