PERSONAL | TEACHER TUESDAY
May 7th, 2019

This past week I sat down with my calendar and started mapping out blog posts topics for the next few weeks.  I put on the calendar for today: BLOG – TT (meaning Teacher Tuesday blog post) and couldn’t find myself landing on a topic I felt really excited to write about.  I flirted with questioning techniques, my favorite apps, or even end of the year activities but then I remembered – it’s National Teacher Appreciation Week!  And then I got my wheels turning… I’m used to this week being about being an educator – the deals, the free meals, the jeans days because I am an educator – through and through.  But then I got to thinking and decided I wanted to do something a little different with this post.  I want to thank all of my teachers – including my students.

I’ve been blessed in my life to have amazing education experiences – people who challenged me, supported me, dreamed with me and brought me back down to earth.  The educators in my life are my role models, the people I think to for “Well what would _____ do?” or “What would ________ say to me about this lesson?”  Beyond the teachers in my life through being in education has always been about the kids for me and the things they’ve taught me.  SO here’s to you, all my teachers, in no particular order (except kind of chronologically).

• To Dr. NB my high school science teacher who taught me that I really did need to read the book and study!  And for gifting me with a deep appreciation for science.  For also teaching me in ways that clicked and having infinite patience with me.
• To Mrs. Day (in heaven) my middle school and high school math teacher who taught me that it’s probably better to do my homework on time 🙂  Also for gifting me an appreciation for corny jokes, math and showing me an example of a teacher who is warm and caring above all.
• To Mrs. Ridenour who taught me how to fail with grace and then get back up and try again.
• To Dr. Pease who is the educator voice in my head and taught me that teaching is more than just activities and fun but purposeful planning.  That I’d enjoy teaching more when my lessons were deeply connected to learning goals and how to write essential questions and rubrics – which now has made me a stickler for these things. 🙂
• To Dr. Harraway who taught me how to set up my room for success and how to focus on the positives in kids to get the best results.
• To my Middle Ed Cohort – who inspired me all the time and taught me about great teaching in all subjects.
• To my Quioccasin Family – who taught me how powerful a supportive community is.
• To Susan Mallon – who taught me how to be dedicated to your passions and that teaching sometimes doesn’t show rewards until a few years later when the students start coming back.
• To Natosha Webb and Anne Hampton – who taught me how to laugh through the toughest and most stressful times.
• To Andrea Burton who taught me how to think outside the box and not be afraid to shake it up a bit.  Also for being a leader in standards-based grading and flipped classroom for me!
• To Jay Golding who taught me that sometimes you have to make a big mess to make a big impression and that anything can be done with the right tool.
• To Kara Zedaker, Kelly Smith and my other science team who taught me how to work as a team and design great hands-on inquiry.
• To Jessie Burbic, and Jennifer Maddux who taught me how to solve any problem with creativity and willingness to try anything!
• To Sarah Fidler, Jeannie Redford, Jenny Smith, Tedra, Gil, Andrea S, Sarah Ligh, Jess Bowden, Dawn Bullen, Mindy, Kaitlin, Catherine, (and more and more and more) who taught me that sometimes you just need to go cry it out in the E-Hall Bathroom.  🙂
• Becky Collier who taught me how to be a great listener and that numbers don’t always measure my worth.
• To Kourtney Bostain who taught me how to think more deeply about content, plan more deeply, and teach more deeply beyond my wildlest dreams – you taught me so much about how big and powerful teaching and learning could be.
• To my later ITRTs Terri and Brooke who taught me how to take an idea and run with it and that trying new things can be so fun!
• To the ITRT/ILC team who taught me that work can be SO FUN and for teaching me how to really help teachers.
• To the Wilder teachers + staff who taught me that despite what people may think about Title 1 schools you are the hardest working and most devoted teachers I may ever meet.  Also for showing me that any child can learn and all children hold beautiful potential.

And now for the ones who don’t get noticed during teacher appreciation week… my students

• To my FIRST YEAR students (class of 2017) who taught me how much I LOVED being a teacher and that good routines and procedures make everything else so much easier.  Also for teaching me that no matter what you should be yourself – even if you’re the weirdo new teacher who is dancing and singing through the halls.
• To my SECOND YEAR students (class of 2018) who taught me that to be a good teacher, I had to start with the heart and approach with LOVE.
• To my THIRD YEAR students (Class of 2019) who taught me how to fight for kids that others might give up on and that value and effort can’t be measured by just a number of a test.  Also what the perfect half-court shot into the trash can for the Megamanji WIN can look like!
• To my FOURTH YEAR students (Class of 2020) who taught me how to keep pushing myself to improve and be a learner myself.
• To my FIFTH YEAR students (Class of 2021) who taught me how great it feels when hard work pays off and how much I’d LOVE working with eighth graders!  Also to always check your email because you never know what very important email with a very important appointment might be piled down in the inbox…
• To my SIXTH YEAR students (Class of 2022) who taught me that teaching is really hard but it’s so worth it to see the growth of each individual student.
• To the students I’ve worked with as an Instructional Coach – who have taught me the endless depths of creativity and that any child can learn and all children hold value!

WOW what a list – I honestly could keep going and am having a little bit of anxiety that I am forgetting someone who deserves a specific shout out!  Just know that if you are an educator in my life, you mean the world to me!  I value you so much and can’t thank you enough for how you’ve impacted my life.

We all have people who act as teachers in our lives.  They come in all ages, all walks of life and they all make an impact.  If you’re thinking of thanking a teacher in your life don’t worry about the Pinterest hacks or the snacks (though those are great), just take the time to tell them how they impacted you.  For me, the teachers in my life have impacted me so deeply that I think about them all the time!  I would love the opportunity to see these people, chat with them, get a snack, laugh, catch up, and thank them.  

CAUTION: low quality – non-edited iPhone images below that are filled with some of my most FAVORITE people and memories.  I kept pictures of my students out since I don’t have permission to post them.  🙂