Name your favorite teacher. Now thank them.

September 24, 2008 in Life is a Verb

I think teachers are the greatest thing on earth. Truly.

I can point to teachers of mine–from Mrs Halliburton in the first grade to Mrs Smith in the fourth, from Mrs Brown in sixth to Mrs Rockett in ninth grade algebra to Ms Sakowski and Mrs Fullwood in high school and Sheridan Simon and Lee Johnson and Jerry Godard in college, to Paul Barolsky and Ted Mason and Daniel Albright in graduate school… Teachers shape us and give us encouragement and hold the line when we need it. We need to hold them up and pay them more and find ways to thank them daily for what they are doing to prepare our young people to live and lead. Who is your favorite teacher? Call them today to tell them.

Today’s stop on the Life is a Verb Blog Tour is written from the perspective of a middle school teacher who speaks her truth, Miss Bliss. Her reading of LIAV centers around the story of a teacher in the book, "Love Unlovable People." Of it, she writes:

This essay transformed my thinking. Each of these students–no matter how annoying or unsightly or just plain irritating–is a living, breathing, human being who deserves my best. Every. Single. Day. The essays in this book reminded me of this over and over again, whether it was “Let It Be A Barn”, which reminds us that our reality is not everyone else’s or “Say Hi To Yaron”, a story about simply being kind. These stories undid me, gave me room to be a much more loving, committed educator, changed something inside of me.

If there was one text I could gift my students with and teach them out of exclusively, Life Is A Verb would be it. These are the sorts of lessons our children so desperately need.

Go read what she has to say about compulsions and obsessions (I can identify with so many of them) and about coming home to yourself. And more.

My thanks, Miss Bliss, for your insights about the book–and for the work you do in the world. Since I’m not sure you can adopt LIAV as a textbook (though wouldn’t that be nice?), I’ll gladly send a copy for your school library if that’s of interest to them…

[Image from here]

About Patti Digh

Patti Digh is an author, speaker, and educator who builds learning communities and gets to the heart of difficult topics. Her work over the last three decades has focused on diversity, inclusion, social justice, and living and working mindfully. She has developed diversity strategies and educational programming for major nonprofit and corporate organizations and has been a featured speaker at many national and international conferences.

6 comments to " Name your favorite teacher. Now thank them. "


Jim Ley

September 25, 2008 AT 2:05AM

I am thankful for Mrs. Reynolds (4th grade) who taught me to slow down and review my answers.

Robert

September 25, 2008 AT 8:46AM

I’m thankful to Dr. Richard Morton who showed me how to be passionate about learning and pushed me to think, think, think.

sally

September 25, 2008 AT 10:14AM

My fourth grade teacher (a year after you were in fourth grade, I believe) was Mrs. Smith, as well. She was oh so young at the time, went on to become the director of the school, and only retired about two years ago. I always have been so grateful for her teaching (starting my fascination for all things ancient Egyptian), and that of the terrific school she squired so wonderfully into the current era. While I have thanked her in person many times, here I do it in print: You’re the best, Mary Margaret Wearn (Smith Hague) Wiener.

Kelly Warren

September 25, 2008 AT 3:22PM

This post comes at such an interesting time for me, Patti. I’m currently a college student life administrator and teach college English on an adjunct basis. I’ve been considering making a move to the K-12 teaching ranks, primarily to get on my children’s schedule and make our lives much simpler. It’s a huge change for me, since I’ve been with the college for 16 years. There have been so many things pointing the way for me, and I think I can add this post to that list. :-) Kelly

JCR

September 28, 2008 AT 7:57AM

Ms. Digh: Thank you for posting this. I teach and I love my job. It is the politics, and other adult-“inspired” idiocy that makes it difficult. Hardline administration, teacher jealousies, etc. I tell my students that as soon as I cross the into the classroom, life is as perfect as ever… it is the outside that is difficult to navigate. Those who teach and do not like teaching, ruin lives. Those who teach and live for it change the universe.

Demi Anderson

December 8, 2008 AT 6:32PM

This is soooo true!!
I am a junior in high school last year my Spanish teacher helped me so much. She feels like a big sister to me, but i dont know how to tell her this without it sounding weird. If any teachers or students have any sugestions let me know!
thanks!