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Thank You, Teachers!

Teachers,

We wanted to take a moment in this season of gratitude and reflection to focus exclusively on being grateful for and reflecting on you, and we want to thank you for your continued dedication to what can so often feel like a thankless job. Although you deserve more than gratitude, we want you to know that we see you, we hear you, we believe in you, and we advocate for you.

In many ways, today’s classrooms bear little resemblance to their predecessors from even a decade ago, and the nature of teaching has changed as a result. Be it due to the pandemic, generational or societal factors, or a combination of those plus other contributing elements, the fact of the matter is irrefutable—teaching is different now. Thank you for hanging in there.

Between increasing class sizes, the push to embrace trending buzzword concepts, conference periods being eaten up by additional asks, and increasingly challenging student needs—it can feel like the job is becoming less possible by the day. For whatever reasons that compel each of you, you are choosing to remain in the classroom and shoulder the expectations and demands put upon you from so many directions, and for that we thank you.

Unfortunately, the innumerable positives unique to teaching often get overshadowed by all the “other stuff.” Being intentional about noticing or seeking out the bright spots that exist in the world of teaching is a must, because they are very much still there and as bright as ever. There is nothing quite like a class of students united by laughter at a funny noise or an innocuous joke. There is nothing quite like finally connecting with a student whose defensive walls have begun to crumble as a result of your hard work chipping away at them. There is nothing quite like the camaraderie that exists between teachers, especially now.

Schools have always been special places that exist within and yet somehow sit adjacent to the rest of our society, and that dynamic has not changed. Some days are easier than others, and some students, colleagues, and moments can make all the “other stuff” seem less pressing—but the core of your teaching experience is you. It’s whatever is in you that makes you right for this job at this time in your life and in the world around you.

All too often, teachers are urged to “remember your why,” so much so that it's typically and understandably met with eye rolls; however, despite the fact that it does not solve many of the very real problems teachers face, it certainly cannot hurt to reflect on your reasons for having become—and still being—a teacher. Even though it is certainly overused, there is still a great deal of truth to the importance of focusing on your why. There are many factors beyond your control in this job, but focusing on why you are here can help you to focus on the things you can control. After all, your why is unique to you. Why are you a teacher? Why do you teach what you teach? Why do you teach it the way you do?

Something in you was attracted to this monumental job, and if it was the allure of summer and holiday breaks (or “breaks”), well, that probably hasn’t been a very sustainable attraction. Do you teach because you want to inspire the love of your content area in others? Do you teach because you want to prepare the future generations with the knowledge you feel as though you missed out on? Do you teach because you want to be a safe space for the kind of kid you were when you could have used a safe space? Do you teach because you loved school and want to play your part in making school something your students love, too?

Regardless of your why—or because of it—you’re here. You’re teaching, and we thank you. We thank you for showing up, day after day, even on the days when you don’t want to. We thank you for planning lessons, even on the days when you doubt how successful they’ll be. We thank you for being there for your students, even on the days when some of them make it hard on you. We thank you for representing the pursuit of growth, even when it isn’t linear, and of lifelong learning. We thank you for holding this integral position in our society even when society doesn’t always show its thanks enough or in the right ways. We thank you for continuing to walk this walk. We thank you for being a teacher.

Now more than ever, we thank you.

November 25, 2024

Why So Many Parents Are Thankful for You!

A reality of present-day teaching is that we are more likely to hear from our students’ parents and other caretakers when they have a question, concern, or request than when they want to thank us. Yet, their silence does not necessarily mean that they do not appreciate us and what we do. They may not show or tell us, and they may not even know specifically what we did, but they can see and feel in their child the difference we make.

The truth is that our days are filled with hundreds of actions that make a difference in the lives of our students. Because they matter to our students, they matter to their parents—even when they are not aware of what we have done.

For the time and effort you invest in planning and delivering instruction—and the other seemingly innumerable tasks that fill your days and, for many of you, your nights and weekends, we want to say thank you. Additionally, on behalf of the parents and guardians of your students, please accept our gratitude for the things you do without planning, expected recognition, or even a second thought that make a significant and lifelong difference for the young lives you touch each day!

Thanks for the minute you took to engage when my child wanted to share a story, celebrate a victory, or grieve a setback. Your listening made my child feel valued and cared for.

Thanks for the excitement you shared when my child reached a goal, overcame a struggle, or made a new friend. You made my child feel important.

Thanks for the confidence you offered when success was not obvious and my child began to doubt. You instilled hope when my child needed it.

Thanks for the encouragement you shared when my child needed a boost and could not see the path forward. You made my child feel competent.

Thanks for the nudging you did when my child was ready to take the easy path. You reminded my child that life’s challenges are to be engaged, not bypassed.

Thanks for the commitment you demonstrated when my child struggled and needed more tools, time, and tenacity. You reminded my child that using the right resources and giving their best effort can bring success within reach.

Thanks for the flexibility you offered when my child did not follow the obvious learning path and needed more options and time. You provided reassurance that success is not always linear and the path to learning may not always be straight.

Thanks for the compassion you showed when my child did not make the best choice. Your understanding helped my child learn from the experience, not just regret it.

Thanks for the knowledge you imparted that sparked a passion in my child’s learning. Your excitement for learning is an inspiration.

Thanks for the patience you revealed when my child hesitated and lacked the courage to do what was hard and risked not finding success. Your willingness to stay positive while pressing forward gave my child the support and reassurance needed when it mattered most.

It is true that we often are not thanked when we deserve it. What we do may not always be noticed or fully appreciated. Yet, what is most important is the difference we make in the lives of our students. On behalf of the parents and caretakers of your students, THANK YOU! WHAT YOU DO MATTERS!

November 13, 2024

<i>It’s a Wonderful Life</i>’s Message for Us Today

It’s a Wonderful Life’s Message for Us Today

This is not the typical season when many or most of us set aside time to watch the classic movie, It’s a Wonderful Life. Yet, its message is important for our reflection as the school year approaches its end. George Bailey, the film’s protagonist, spent his life in Bedford Falls running a small family bank and serving his community. Sadly, he failed to see the important difference he was making in the lives of those around him. Then, though, he was visited by an aspiring angel who helped him to see how the small, everyday things he did changed lives, created opportunities, and opened doors for those he touched.

People on whom others looked down benefited from George’s confidence, compassion, and encouragement. People with dreams were able to pursue them with the support George provided. The lives of the people of Bedford Falls were improved because of George’s everyday actions. Fortunately, the community was able to tell George this and show their appreciation at the conclusion of the movie. Still, the difference he made was profound and lasting—regardless of whether he was aware of it.

It is not a stretch to make comparisons between George Bailey and the work educators do with children and young people every day. It is true that much of the impact we have will not be visible to us. In some cases, the difference we make in the lives of our students may not even show up for years. In fact, the difference will not always even be obvious to the students whose lives we change. Regardless, it is important for us to pause and reflect on the profound and lasting impact we have.

Consider:

When we plant a seed of possibility with a student and lift their dreams and aspirations, we may be putting them on a path to a life and achievements beyond what they could have imagined otherwise.
When we take the time to help a student build a key skill with which they have struggled, we may be giving them a tool that will become a lever for their future success.
When we notice a budding talent and encourage an emerging passion, we may be paving the way for a future artist, entrepreneur, social or public service worker, community leader, or diplomat.
When we nurture an insatiable curiosity, we might be opening the door to a future inventor, researcher, scientist, or designer.
When we take time to listen and understand, we may be preventing someone from harming themselves and instilling hope that carries them through a tough time.
When we commit to teach, rather than default to punish, when students behave inappropriately, we might be building skills that may prevent a future tragedy or make a neighborhood or community better.
When we choose to believe in the inherent goodness and potential of our students, we make it possible for them to believe in themselves and to persist and overcome what life places before them.

The fact is that we do George Bailey things every day that make a difference to those around us. We may not immediately see the difference. We may never even hear about many of the positive impacts we have had on the lives of our students. However, these facts in no way diminish the importance or lessen the value of the important work we do.

May 01, 2024

A Thank-You Letter to Teachers

Teachers,

During this nationally celebrated week of teacher appreciation, we at The Master Teacher wanted to extend a heartfelt thank-you to each and every single one of you who holds such an integral place in our society. In such a challenging profession, and in such challenging times, your continued efforts are not going unnoticed. Examination will reveal that whenever our country has faced a huge task, America has turned to the schools and all the people who work in them to get the job done.

In the last 120 years, we have had three different eras that required the country to change drastically. Schools, and the entire school team, performed magnificently in each of these eras to keep this country a world leader. Indeed, in the past 120 years, one decade after another, the entire school team served with distinction. We need to be proud of the role teachers and staff are still playing. Remembering success in the face of past challenges can serve all of us well today and tomorrow.

First was the manual labor era. In the 1800s, it took 95% of our population to feed the nation. Planting, tending, and harvesting crops were regarded as more important than schooling; as a result, a minority of children were educated. School schedules revolved around the labor needs of the family farmer. Additionally, it was assumed that anyone could teach.

Later, requirements to teach were enacted. To teach professionally, a person had to have attended school for one or two grades beyond the grade they taught. Still, manual laborers made up the bulk of workers in both rural and urban environments. The workday was 12 hours… and the work week six to seven days. Less than 5% of our population entered college. Thus, the standards and requirements in schools were not very high. “Come when you can” was more of the rule for student attendance than “come every day.”

Then came the industrial era, and everything changed. It brought a migration from the farm to the city with a need for a large workforce that could read and write as well as operate industrial machinery. As the complex needs of producing, operating, and maintaining equipment increased, so, too, did the need to have a workforce that could read and write in addition to building, running, and maintaining industrial equipment.

In response, the call to meet the needs of our country changed, and our schools were counted on to meet this need. We realized that to support a mass-production economy, we had to have a mass-consumption society. To get more kids in the classroom and have them be successful in the workforce, we implemented a system of mass education that included students from every background and social status. Our country prospered and thrived as a result.

Then came World War II. The government promised all GIs a free high-school or college education when the war was over. To facilitate their success, funding was provided to support education opportunities for them at unprecedented levels.

By the 1950s, over 50% of all eligible young people were in high school. We increased teacher certification requirements again; our teachers had to have more skills to teach their students with a wide variety and level of abilities. Both worker and management needs in business and industry as well as demands for professional skills increased—and college enrollment rose to 10% of the population.

The industrial era also brought social and labor unrest, rebellions, and demands from minorities for more rights in the 1960s. Again, the country turned to our schools to integrate, include more students, teach our minority students, and educate children with different physical and mental needs... And our schools responded. By the late 1970s, over 90% of all our children eligible to be in school were in our classrooms. Teachers took a more respected place in society. Employment as a teacher without a degree was not allowed. Requirements for continuous teacher certification included additional college study and certification periodically. Master’s degrees became common, and even more advanced degrees were not rare.

Then, the 1980s introduced the high-tech era. The computer brought the need for even greater skills and more sophistication in the workplace. Accelerating the trend of the industrial era, fewer people were needed to produce greater quantities of work. In fact, fewer people were needed to get more work done a whole lot faster and much more accurately. Again, our country turned to our schools to prepare students for a new kind of work and job. And again, as they have through history, educators did the job.

We have now moved to a skill-based society that values a high degree of technical knowledge. Most jobs are no longer in the manufacturing sector of the economy. Education now faces the challenge of meeting the needs of this latest era.

The wide range of comprehensive services schools provide to students, parents, and society now exceeds those of almost any public institution—and more seems to be expected of schools as the days pass.

Leading up to, during, and after the COVID-19 crisis, schools continue serving students in unbelievable ways. In addition to providing an educational foundation, schools bus children to campus and take them home every day. Schools feed students both breakfast and lunch on campus and even bring meals to their homes. Schools provide healthcare and counseling services, and attention is given to the social and extracurricular needs of students. Schools compensate for the mental and physical strengths, challenges, and needs of students. Schools implement services and support programs for students with special needs. Schools have had to teach students at home and at school. During the pandemic, many teachers taught their students online and then had to turn around and teach their own children at home. School has looked a little different ever since, and you are still here.

These realities should make every teacher proud. Teaching can be a thankless job, and it can seem daunting and fraught as we face an uncertain future. Teachers have done the exceptional during one of the most difficult times of our history—and will continue to do so as history continues to be written.

To you all we say thank you, thank you, thank you. Teachers have done more good for more people more consistently and more effectively than we would have thought possible just a few years ago. The tradition of superior performance continues in our schools. Bless all of you. Just take a moment to take pride and joy in what you have achieved. You are all wonderful. You are vital. You are appreciated.

Happy Teacher Appreciation Week, and thank you.

May 01, 2024

A Thank-You Letter to Educators

Educators,

In this season of gratitude and reflection, we wanted to extend a heartfelt thank-you to each of you who hold such an integral place in our society. Examination will reveal that whenever our country has faced a huge task, America has turned to the schools and all the people who work in them to get the job done.

First was the manual labor era. In the 1800s, it took 95% of our population to feed this nation. Planting, tending, and harvesting crops were regarded as more important than schooling. As a result, a minority of children were educated. School schedules revolved around the labor needs of the family farmer. It also was assumed that anyone could teach.

Later, requirements to teach were enacted. To teach, a person had to have attended school one or two grades beyond the grade they taught. Manual laborers made up the bulk of workers in both rural and urban environments. The workday was 12 hours… and the work week six to seven days. Less than 5% of our population entered college. The standards and requirements in schools were not very high. “Come when you can” was more of a rule for students than “come every day.”

Then came the industrial era, and everything changed. It brought a migration from the farm to the city with a need for a large workforce that could read and write as well as operate industrial machinery. As the complexity to produce, operate, and maintain equipment increased, so did the need to have a workforce that could read and write, as well as run, fix, maintain, and build industrial equipment.

The call to meet the needs of our country changed. Our schools were counted on to meet this need. We realized that to support a mass-production economy, we had to have a mass-consumption society. To get more kids in the classroom and have them be successful in the workforce, we implemented a system of mass education that included students from every background and social status. Our country prospered and thrived as a result.

Then came World War II. The government promised all GIs a free high-school or college education when the war was over. To facilitate their success, funding was provided to support education opportunities for them at unprecedented levels.

By the 1950s, over 50% of all eligible young people were in high school. We increased teacher certification requirements again. Our teachers had to have more skills to teach their students with a wide variety and level of abilities. Both worker and management needs in business and industry as well as demands for professional skills increased—and college enrollment rose to 10% of the population.

The industrial era also brought social and labor unrest, rebellions, and demands from minorities for more rights in the 1960s. Again, the country turned to our schools to integrate, include more students, teach our minority students, and educate children with different physical and mental needs. Schools responded. By the late 1970s, over 90% of all our children eligible to be in school were in our classrooms. Teachers took a more respected place in society. Employment as a teacher without a degree was not allowed. Requirements for continuous teacher certification included additional college study and certification periodically. Master’s degrees became common, and even more advanced degrees were not rare.

Then, the 1980s introduced the high-tech era. The computer brought the need for even greater skills and more sophistication in the workplace. Accelerating the trend of the industrial era, fewer people were needed to produce greater quantities of work. Fewer people were needed to get more work done a whole lot faster and much more accurately. Again, our country turned to our schools to prepare students for a new kind of work and job. And again, as they have through history, educators did the job.

Leading up to, during, and after the COVID-19 crisis, schools continue serving students in ways that are unbelievable. In addition to teaching them, schools bus children to school and take them home every day. Schools feed students both breakfast and lunch at school and even take meals to their homes. Schools provide healthcare. Counseling services are provided, and attention is given to the social and extracurricular needs of students. Schools compensate for the mental and physical strengths and weaknesses of students. And services for students with special needs are provided. Schools have had to teach students at home and at school. During the pandemic, many teachers taught their students online and then had to turn around and teach their own children at home.

These realities should make the entire team of every school proud. The entire team means everyone: administrators, teachers, counselors, paras, coaches, administrative assistants, nurses, cooks, custodians, bus drivers, members of the board of education, and support staff. Each member of this team is vital to meeting the needs of our students. They have done the exceptional during one of the most difficult times of our history—and they will continue to do so.

To you all we say thank you, thank you, thank you. The entire school team has done more good for more people more consistently and more effectively than we would have thought possible just a few years ago. The tradition of superior performance continues in our schools. Bless all of you. Just take a moment to take pride and joy in what you have achieved. You are all wonderful.

Thank you.

November 16, 2023