As far as teachers go, we all hope, and want, to make some sort of impact. We want to not only impact the present, we hope to create deep, everlasting changes on people’s futures.
Truly great teachers do this. Over and over and over again.
Every single school has a truly great teacher. The thing you may not know about most truly great teachers is that that they have no idea how amazingly great and impactful they are.
I am incredibly lucky. I have worked in a variety of schools with multiple teachers who truly are great. Those teachers who inspire you to raise your game and genuinely be the change we want to see…but, like many of us out there, I have never really told them how inspirational they are to our community.
Recently, I lost a truly great teacher. I wish I had told her what I thought, felt and respected so much about her.
Imagine what might happen if we started telling those great teachers just how amazing they are. We need to start to let them see just how much they really do impact the past, present and future.
So, I’m going to start.
Right now.
To A Truly Great Teacher,
When I think and picture what makes a teacher worth remembering, you always come up.
I know you would hate any fuss to be made of you, but that’s the point. You don’t realise how amazing you are.
Your genuine nature to seek to help others is something that is rare. Whilst most people help each other out, you somehow know exactly what everyone needs to be cheered up, strengthened or even knocked down a peg or two (let’s be honest, that’s usually me).
You observe, listen and know people. Because you know people, you understand people. You are so compassionate and can relate to any child or adult. I love listening to you explain how and why a student or colleague may be acting the way they are because you move into their shoes and understand them as a person.
You allow those people opportunities to be understood and valued.
Every child in your class has felt that compassion. They have felt you care. They have felt you have been there for them. They have felt valued for being them. You made their lives all the better by being you.
As a truly great teacher you understand the power of creativity, wonder and laughter. You made learning experiences full of ridiculous questions, wonderings and discoveries. You made learning real. Most teachers struggle with this, but you did it every day. You made laughter and giggling an expectation, not something to be managed.
You are a truly great teacher because your love of learning made learning real and something worthy to all in your care. You have planted so many inspirational seeds in so many heads that I can’t wait to see the future you have helped shape for us all.
You will always live on through the actions, beliefs and love of learning all those in your care were instilled with.
Thank you for being you, because you are truly great.
-Dan
Know someone who is a great teacher who is making – or has made – an impact on you? Don’t make the same mistake I made and miss the opportunity to tell them.
Grab them, phone them or go old school and send some snail mail. Whatever it is, share how they’ve made an impact and let them know what makes them truly great.
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