The Teacher Appreciation Thread

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

I’ve just read one too many “let’s bash the teachers” comment. It’s time to show some teacher lovin’ !

I could never be a teacher. Partly it’s because I hate kids, and partly because I have no patience for people who don’t care to listen to me, but mostly because it’s a fucking difficult job that’s incredibly important.

Like most of us (I imagine) I will never forget my amazing teachers. Ms Skurecki (grade 6), Ms Clark (Grade 8), Mr Kelman (high school English), Mr Rawcliffe (World Issues) in particular spring to mind. Thanks, guys.

Plus the teachers who never had me in their classroom, but whose passion and dedication and enormous hearts have stayed with me: Kelly in Brazil, I’m thinking of you !

In Ontario, where I live, teachers have been subjected to pretty severe bad-mouthing and incredible pressures from all angles, for quite some time. Their jobs are made more and more difficult, their interests are represented as being opposite of those of students, and when they try to change the situation for the better, they are blamed for being selfish and demanding. It seems that a similar situation is happening down in the States.

So, I’ll say it now, in case it hasn’t been said enough (and I don’t think it can possibly be said enough):

To Wang-Ka, Zoe, and all the other Doper teachers who I can’t identify at the moment - but please identify yourselves so I can thank you personally !

You’re awesome. Great job.

I know it must be hard sometimes, dealing with the pressures of trying to teach, in the context of funding cuts, and bizarre standardized testing rules, and anti-teacher sentiment in the media, and selfish, corrupt unions, and other sources of bullsh*t too numerous to mention. But you keep at it and even though you may not always realize it, you do make a big difference in lots of kids’ lives.

Carry on. You’re an inspiration.

2

Thanks to all the teachers who reached out to me when I was a befuddled larval human, and pointed out that I had something to offer the world, and that “school” is not the entire Universe: in particular, Ms. Funk (2nd grade), Mr. Walsh (7th grade physical science) and Ms. Maddox (HS English.) Thanks to the teachers who wouldn’t accept my second best: Mrs. Grundmeier (4th grade), Ms. Peck (violin), and Mrs. Grether (HS English.)

And thanks to all my teachers, even the ones I didn’t like, for doing a thankless job well, and putting up with me, snotty little dork that I was.

3

I’m one of the more strident voices for reform of education reform on the boards here. One of the reasons for that is seeing what my brother and aunt go through. They’re both teachers, and effective ones. Tops on my list.

Next down is a close friend, who is an elementary art teacher. Art education, as we all know, is first on the block in this age of teaching to the test and budget cuts. I hope he can continue to do what he does best.

There are many great teachers I remember from school, too many to list. They’re all appreciated very much.

4

I’d like to thank teachers in general. My sister & her husband both teach.
I’m always shocked at the stories I hear from both them & their teaching friends about their students.
I hope parents really appreciate the people who spend as much time with your children as you do.
They see their chosen profession as having an impact on the future.
They are helping you raise your children.

5

My parents are both (retired) public school teachers as are almost all of their friends. We offspring grew up listening to all the crap they had to put up with (some from students but mostly parents and administrators) and no one found it surprising that NOT ONE of the children of this group of teachers became educators ourselves. None of us could remotely be convinced that we would ever want to put up with all that teachers have to deal with on an everyday basis.

6

Whenever I count my blessings in life, Mr. Allan Thorn is among them.

He is witty, discerning, patient, dedicated and wise. I wouldn’t have finished High School if it hadn’t been for him.

He made the material relevant. He never accepted second best from me, or anyone else. One of my classmates said it best: “There are things in life that really matter. Mr. Thorn knows what they are.” God bless Mr. Thorn, for sharing the secret of What Matters In Life.

God bless all teachers like Mr. Thorn.

7

Educator checking in: I’ve taught Psychology for 8 years at the collegiate level. And I would like to thank Prof. Kronick for her forethought in asking me to be her replacement when I graduated from Grad School. As my mentor and confidant I feel myself lucky to be in this position. I started as adjunct under the auspices of professor’s I had one sat in front of and now stand next to. Thank you Linda, I would not be here if it were not for you!

8

Teacher checking in. 2nd generation teacher, in fact. Both my parents are retired secondary teachers.

My thanks go out to Mrs. Johnson, 2nd grade, who didn’t discourage a certain snot-nosed brat from reading everything he could get his hands on. More thanks to Dr. Blackey, who taught me that teaching is a passion that can fire the soul. To all of my teachers…thank you for all you did, and I apologize for all that I did. :smiley:

9

I want to thank my 6th grade teacher Ms. S. For putting up with all the crap I put her through, for challenging me in a system that wasn’t and organizing a girl who was completely unorganized.

Most of all, I want to thank her for being the role model that I needed 2 years later when I realized I was gay. Living in a rural area, she was the only person I knew then. Her example taught me that being gay couldn’t stop me from doing the things I wanted to do with my life and that I didn’t have to be trapped in that place trying to be something I wasn’t. Maybe she saw something, I don’t know.

I’ve never gotten to thank her in person, maybe some day I’ll get the chance.

10

Not quite two years ago I attended the retirement party of Mr. Charles Bradbury, my sixth grade teacher thirty five years ago.

Back then he was a young, enthusiastic first year teacher. He introduced me and the rest of the class to the universe of fantastice literature by reading us a chapter of The Hobbit everyday. He liked sci-fi too, and I remember an assignment to actually write a science fiction short story. He invited us all to his wedding the summer after school ended. Brave man.

Because of Mr. Bradbury I have gone places and met people I probably wouldn’t have. I read books and authors that have stretched my mind and helped mold me into what I am. Thanks!

11

6th grade Math teacher checking in. Thanks for the encouragement. A few kind words from friends and parents go a long way with teachers, because most of us work very hard at what we do. It’s getting to be a tougher job with all the pressures of legislation like No Child Left Behind and similar state legislation, but the focus is still the same for me: the kids.

I want to thank Mr. Perdue my High School History teacher who challenged my socks off, but was the only one to do so. He taught me that students respond when given high expectations. Thanks also to Mr. Katz who told me to remember to be myself in front of my classroom. And finally, thanks to Mrs. Cook who once, when I was being made fun of for playing the air guitar in the 4th grade, said that I might one day be a famous guitar player.

I never became famous Mrs. Cook, but I have been playing the bass for 15 years now, and part of the reason why is because you gave me the courage to keep dreaming that dream. Thanks.

moejuck

12

I wanted to say that moejuck is a great teacher. He loves what he does and I appreciate his enthusiasm for teaching.

13

I’m a teacher-in-training who finds this thread very encouraging: Thanks to all who realize how valuable teachers are.

14

7th grade teacher checking in. Nice to hear good things for a change!

My thanks go out to Mrs. Wintonick (1st grade), Mrs. Efron (3rd grade), Mrs. O’Sullivan (4th grade), Ms. Shea (7th grade), and most of all, to Steve Ostrowski and Tina Orsini, my high school English teachers. When I taught high school, I taught many of the same things you showed me how to love. Wherever you are, I wish you knew that you inspired me to do what you did. Thanks for being part of what saved my soul.

15

Burnt out teacher here. I still feel terrible about it to this day. I love what I do now and everyone around me sees me as a happier person than I was when I was teaching, but I really wanted to be -that- teacher. For me, it was Mr. Schrandt and Mr. Hartunian. They showed me so much and opened up entire new worlds to me.

I was so sad when I realized that I didn’t care anymore. I had only been teaching 3 years and I didn’t care. I got out then and there. I didn’t want any of my students to think I didn’t care about -them-. My friend became a middle school teacher the next year, and she’s great. I get to give her my favorite tips and tricks for her science classes. At least I can still help. :slight_smile:

I do know how very hard it is to be a teacher (the papwork alone should warrent a medal!), and I have more respect now than I ever did for the great teachers then and now who really -care-.

16

Mrs. Stultz (3rd grade) taught me what a schwa was, and the joys of puppetry too.

Mr. Davis (7th grade) took 12-year-olds seriously and made us dig very deeply into a burning political issue of the time, the Iran hostage crisis of 1979-80. We gave a public forum that was very well received, and not just by our parents.

Mr. Powell (11th and 12th grade) lived for math and inspired many of his students to achievement they hadn’t thought possible before.

17

my mom is a teach. stupid, and naive as she is, she gave 110% to those kids.
Pissed my dad off to no end. She is going to heaven or whatever due to it. :stuck_out_tongue:
The dedication level is unbelivable. Sure there are those who want summer off, but firsthand I can tell you that there are great ones out there.

18

To all my wonderful teachers: Thank you, a thousand times, thank you. I can’t even begin to imagine the amount of crap you had to put up with from various sources, though I suppose I ought to start trying to, since you’ve inspired me to go to college and become a English teacher myself. I hope to be able to show someone during the course of my future career how great the world of language is, how you can take and use it to express yourself in a way that is uniquely yours, that writing isn’t just for some old guy with a beard to his knees that you’re forced to read year after year. There’s a world out there that thousands of kids are dismissing because they’ve only been exposed to, say, The Pigman or some other book that’s supposed to be about “young people”. To be able to show someone how awesome Jane Austen can be or the layers of imagery that go into writing a poem or, heck, even to show them the importance of grammar is something that my teachers have made me want to do.

I wasn’t sad to leave high school because I was leaving friends behind (the ones I wanted to keep I have), but because I would no longer have daily contact with my teachers. sniff I miss you guys.

19

I’m an elementary school teacher. When I look back on all the teachers I had at school, I try to avoid the mistakes the bad ones made, and emulate the ones who inspired and engaged me. The teachers who beieved in me, despite the fact that I must have been hell to teach, are the ones who have given me the strength to keep going forward.

The children I teach come from wealthy and priviledged homes. Materially, they have all they need. Many of them have loving and dedicated parents. For many of the others, school is a safe place, where they know they are loved and cared for, where what they have to say is interesting, and where they get consistency. When their parents are going through an acrimonious divorce, with the details splashed all over the papers, and the people looking after them are babysitters who don’t speak the language, they need to be somewhere they know they are loved. I like some of my colleagues more than others, but I can say without reservation that for everyone, the wellbeing and welfare of the children we teach is paramount. Teaching is about so much more than getting through the curriculum.

Noone should do this job unless they love it; it’s not fair to anyone.

20

Here’s to Mrs. Ramsey (grade 8), who noticed I was being bullied and tried to take up for me. And to Mrs. Beal, grades 9, 11, and 12, who introduced me to Shakespeare and taught me to love him, and who inspired to to become an English teacher myself. And Ms. Tiffany Tooms, grade 10, who provided me with a constant supply of fantasy and science fiction novels and who taught me to write poetry.