Thank You

   Education.  What a calling.  I don't know about you, but as we enter the last month of school, I'm exhausted.  After working to teach all we can to our students, encouraging them at every step, analyzing data, remediating, working Saturday school, planning, preparing, differentiating, scaffolding, tiering...summer can't get here soon enough.
    I wonder if all those who think teachers shouldn't get paid more because they only work 9 months of the year would feel a little differently if they walked a year in our shoes.  How many students did you have to cajole to squeeze out the most work from them possible?  How many phone calls to parents, asking them to support your efforts in the classroom at home, did you make?  How many hours did you poor over lesson plans to engage your students, so they would be more interested in what you needed them to learn?  How much of your sweat, blood, and tears have you poured into this year's students and their success?
     All I know is the longer I'm in education, the more I love it.  It becomes a larger part of me and what occupies my mind.  Nonetheless, I'm worn out.  I feel like a limp noodle.  I'm looking left and right and seeing sick teacher after sick teacher: all those whose EOIs have been taken, so they know their body can finally give in to the germs attacking them for the last month.  All this hard work, investing in students, preparing the best we know how takes a toll on our bodies, minds, and souls.
     I say all this, so you know I know how you feel.  I also say all this, so you know I mean it when I say THANK YOU!  Thank you to all the teachers out there who give their all.  Thank you to all the administrators who work tirelessly to support the instruction in the classroom.  Thank you to all the parents who support the teachers and their work with your child.  Thank you to all the students who know how important education is, and even though they are small children up through teens, they come to school and do what they must even when they don't want to.
     Even though education is a hard field to hoe, and sometimes we feel attacked from all sides, education in America is still the best educational opportunity in the world.  We teach every student.  We teach at high levels, We teach in all circumstances.  We teach because we are called.  We teach because we love learning.  We teach because our heart and soul is dedicated to the improvement of every child's life we touch.
     Again, I say THANK YOU!  I am blessed to belong to such an amazing profession and to work alongside admirable professionals.