Ode to Teachers

April 22, 2016
Issue #405

My husband and I are both educators. After wishing each other a happy first day at the beginning of every school year, we jokingly say, “See you in June.” We love what we do. We really do. And we are often really tired. 

You too? It’s because teachers do so much more than deliver content. We pour ourselves into our students; devotedly endeavoring to meet vast needs while satisfying time-consuming requirements and external job demands. It's no wonder so many of us are feeling frazzled and worn.

It's why we were so deeply moved by Pat Mora’s poem “Ode to Teachers” from Dizzy in Your Eyes. It is a goose-bumps-inducing reminder of our positive influence, and how we have an opportunity to subtly help students unfold into bigger versions of themselves.  

Pat begins, “I remember the first day, how I looked down, hoping you wouldn’t see me, and when I glanced up, I saw your smile shining like a soft light from deep inside you.” (Read the poem in its entirety.) 

If you are feeling a tad weary and worn, take heart. The line “Slowly, your faith grew into my courage” reminds us that our tireless efforts to connect, engage, and capture the learners in our care are worth it. 

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