When someone believes the best about you, it can change your day. Your week. Even the trajectory of your life!
When I think about the people in my life who have had that kind of impact, several of my teachers along the way top the list. One of them is my grandfather, who began teaching in a one-room schoolhouse in rural West Tennessee and used the experience as the foundation for a decades-long career as an education leader. His legacy — and the legacy of so many other teachers in my life — inspire me every day and influence the way I approach my work as a student-centered education advocate.
On this Teacher Appreciation Day, SCORE celebrates the amazing and hard work of teachers and acknowledges the important role they play in each of our lives. We know that every lesson planned with careful attention to student need, every “good job!” sentiment shared, and every classroom activity that fosters a new level of learning is an action that will propel a student forward. For that, SCORE is grateful.
Truly, we honor teachers every day in our work. We believe so strongly in the difference they make that supporting great teaching and leadership is among SCORE’s top priorities. So many of our discussions and actions are oriented around how a decision, policy, or practice will impact a teacher’s ability to help students find success in the classroom, career, and life.
Teachers are the most important in-school factor in a child’s education. So, when you see a teacher today — or any day — take a moment to thank them for all they do. I know I’ll be extra appreciative of my own children’s teachers this week — while being ever mindful of the role teachers play in their students’ lives!