Tuesday Solutions: Gratitude for Educators

Thank you! Yes, thank you to all educators who interact daily with your students. You are a role model, a surrogate parent, a good listener, but more importantly, you are a constant in the lives of many students who do not have positive role models in their daily lives. You may not get that “thank you” from your students whom you have helped to open the world of knowledge to for years to come–if ever–but know your impact is great.

I mention this because of an article in the June 14 Parade magazine by Brad Meltzer, author and TV host. In “Good Karma for Mrs. Sherman,” Meltzer writes how he dedicated one of his books to his 11th grade history teacher, Mrs. Sherman, who helped him nurture his love of learning.  It was this love and thirst for knowledge that helped him become the first in his family to attend and graduate from a four-year college. As the article continues, she contacted him on Facebook and they struck up an email correspondence. After a few emails, Mrs. Sherman revealed she had a medical condition that left her in dire need of a kidney donor. She asked him if he could help publicize the issue, and he did via another student from Mrs. Sherman’s class, Sheryl Sandberg (COO of Facebook). Oh the impact!

I hope you are using these wonderful summer days to refresh so that upon your return in August/September, you are ready to be the phenomenal teacher who plants the seed of knowledge in those students who may become authors, editors, COOs or your neighbor!

Happy June to All!