I'm sure you've heard that one before. I recall hearing it for the first time when I was 18 years old from a friend of my father's. He said it with a grin on his face but I knew he actually believed that.
I've always taken offense to that. Not because it isn't true, because really, nothing's impossible. I'm sure there is a teacher out there that really tried hard to do a job, sucked, and so became a teacher.
However, have you considered the teachers in your past that have meant soething? I've had the privilege and blessing to have had several of those in my life.
So what can you say about those teachers? You know the ones I'm talking about. Most of you have that ONE teacher that completely changed your life. I had four. Ms. Flanagan, Mr. Sequeria, Mr. Gray (ok, he was my house master, but still counts), and Mr. Mackness.
Let me tell you why teachers, the good ones, are NOT failures.
If you have ever tried to teach someone something, especially your children, you know how frustrating it is. Really really frustrating sometimes. Not just because it takes patience, but because most of us have one way of thinking and try to get people to come into our understanding, rather than being able to get into theirs.
You know I can't through this without an analogy. So, to me it's like officers in the military. Again, I can't say there are no officers that don't suck, but really what it takes to be an officer is different than what it takes to be enlisted. The skill set is different. And it's not about giving orders or taking them, cause really, unless you are all the way one top, you ALWAYS have to take them. It's about a skillset to do a job and do it well. Perhaps the officer may not be able to do job X as well as a seargent, but that does mean that they seargent CAN do what the officer does. They are separate skill sets. One is of management, and the other is of specialized skill.
So too with teachers. It's a skillset. It's being able to understand how people understand. It's about caring. It's about the capacity for knowledge and the desire to share that knowledge. Taking personal responsibility for shaping the future of our society.
The teachers that have made a difference in your life are akin to the military leaders of history, the ones who excel at that skill, that change the course of life. They are the ones that did not suck at everything else. They are the ones that had a calling, were incredibly skilled, and chose to follow their calling. My life has been changed many times by these people.
And the best thing I think I have ever done is to thank them for what they have meant to me. I think that is the greatest gift we can give them: appreciation.
So please, call them, facebook them, email them. Let them know what they meant to you and the impact they had. I officially and temporarily declare this "Thank your teacher" day. You have 24 hours. Go to it!
I've always taken offense to that. Not because it isn't true, because really, nothing's impossible. I'm sure there is a teacher out there that really tried hard to do a job, sucked, and so became a teacher.
However, have you considered the teachers in your past that have meant soething? I've had the privilege and blessing to have had several of those in my life.
So what can you say about those teachers? You know the ones I'm talking about. Most of you have that ONE teacher that completely changed your life. I had four. Ms. Flanagan, Mr. Sequeria, Mr. Gray (ok, he was my house master, but still counts), and Mr. Mackness.
Let me tell you why teachers, the good ones, are NOT failures.
If you have ever tried to teach someone something, especially your children, you know how frustrating it is. Really really frustrating sometimes. Not just because it takes patience, but because most of us have one way of thinking and try to get people to come into our understanding, rather than being able to get into theirs.
You know I can't through this without an analogy. So, to me it's like officers in the military. Again, I can't say there are no officers that don't suck, but really what it takes to be an officer is different than what it takes to be enlisted. The skill set is different. And it's not about giving orders or taking them, cause really, unless you are all the way one top, you ALWAYS have to take them. It's about a skillset to do a job and do it well. Perhaps the officer may not be able to do job X as well as a seargent, but that does mean that they seargent CAN do what the officer does. They are separate skill sets. One is of management, and the other is of specialized skill.
So too with teachers. It's a skillset. It's being able to understand how people understand. It's about caring. It's about the capacity for knowledge and the desire to share that knowledge. Taking personal responsibility for shaping the future of our society.
The teachers that have made a difference in your life are akin to the military leaders of history, the ones who excel at that skill, that change the course of life. They are the ones that did not suck at everything else. They are the ones that had a calling, were incredibly skilled, and chose to follow their calling. My life has been changed many times by these people.
And the best thing I think I have ever done is to thank them for what they have meant to me. I think that is the greatest gift we can give them: appreciation.
So please, call them, facebook them, email them. Let them know what they meant to you and the impact they had. I officially and temporarily declare this "Thank your teacher" day. You have 24 hours. Go to it!
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