Dear Teachers

Dear Teachers,

I just wanted to take a moment to tell you how much I appreciate the many things you do as you seek to educate our young people. I know teaching can be one of the most rewarding professions, but I also know it comes with a level of discouragement as well. I want you to know I admire how you overcome the discouragement and keep showing up.

To those of you who instruct students in general education studies, thank you. You put in long hours to prepare your lessons, trying hard to develop creative methods to present them in engaging and informative ways. You then spend more hours grading assignments, writing feedback, and thinking, always thinking of ways to improve your delivery and help your students do better. You sometimes find yourselves blamed when a student's grade does not match his/her expectations, as if you randomly dole out whatever points you choose. I have watched you defend yourselves with professionalism, grace and dignity, and I appreciate you for doing that.

To my friends who teach Special Education, I think there is a special blessing from Heaven for your role. Do you realize you are often the voice so many disenfranchised, bullied, defeated young people need? Do you know how much they depend on you to show up each day, to bear the brunt of their sometimes very angry venting, and to still communicate how much you care about them? I do. I see it. I hear it. They need you. So, thank you.

Thank you teachers for being willing to stay in a profession where your talents and gifts will not gain you riches or fame or fortune. It takes special people to do what you do. And you are all special people. This country would be in sad shape without people like you! So, thank you. 

From the bottom of my heart, I want you to know how much I appreciate your perseverance in the face of the many sacrifices, heartaches, frustrations, criticisms, and mounds of paperwork that come with your chosen profession. Thank you for sticking it out, and for believing in young people. 

​You are world-changers, and I am so grateful you are here.