We really don’t give them much credit, do we? Teachers. Take a step back into your past and think about some of your schooling back when you were a little toddler. Good. Now take your past forward to the next grades, all the way up to 8th grade. So you’re graduating from middle school and entering junior high, then stepping foot into the great institution of high school. Once you’re done with that, you’re walking right into college with all the artsy professors and cool teacher’s assistants and everything.
Think real hard. When you remember your classes, your classmates, your playgrounds, do you remember any teachers? Most definitely. You remember the look of their hair, their smiles, their famous words. You remember how funny they were, how animated they were. You might even remember instances where your teacher pulled you aside to personally show you your superstar report card with all the A’s and B’s. Or maybe you’ve had a private counseling session with one of your teachers as that teacher is basically telling you that “you have a gift.” Be it art, writing, math, whatever.
Those are the memories that matter. That’s what makes an astounding, outstanding teacher. They are the emissaries of our growth, the people that have shaped our minds back when we were children. They have soft spots in our hearts for the longest time. We remember their names, everything about them. It’s because of them, these amazing teachers with no more special qualities than you everyday good human being, that you are who you are–whether you’re a writer, artist, performer, scientist, architect, athlete, whatever.
So be sure to appreciate teachers and what they do. As a parent, you have to know that they’re a big part of the way your children are being shaped in body, mind, and soul.