Of all the professions, teaching gains the least respect in the United States In other countries teachers are revered and respected as learned ones who can pass on the knowledge to the next generation. No matter how much time a teacher spends refining his craft the financial reward is still small. That is why those of us who have been in the teaching profession for many years and still love it believe it is a vocation. To be a teacher means that within that person's soul resides the desire to be a leader and a guide for the students who pass through our classrooms. Many times we do not see the fruits of our labor for ten to twenty years after a child leaves our classroom.
Mom shared two stories with me about the teachers that touched her life. She could remember the stories clearly well into her eighties. Her first school experience was first grade. Her Mama did not believe in kindergarten. She felt that children should be allowed to play and not be rushed into school. (Maybe a thought that this generation should heed. They are scrambling to get little Johnny on the waiting list for prep school the minute he is born.) So Mom's educational experience was somewhat delayed. When Mom walked into class on that first day, the teacher asked each child to find his name and stand under it. Mom did not have a clue about reading or writing yet. However, she was smart. She waited until all the boys and girls stood under their names and she walked confidently and stood under the remaining name.
Mom struggled in school. Reading was especially hard for her. She recalled that the teacher worked patiently with her until the light bulb suddenly came on in her mind. Then she wanted to read everything in sight. Her love for reading lasted a lifetime. She read mysteries and every James Patterson book she could get. She passed on that love for reading to her children by reading to them when they were small and giving them books as presents when they were older. She never forgot the teacher that did not give up on her. When she was an adult she began corresponding on a regular basis with the teacher. They became great friends. So if you remember a teacher that made a difference in your life look her up in the phone book or on the internet and drop her a line.
