A Find That Made Me Smile

I went to reuse an old gift bag and found this.  It made my day,

Teacher Appreciation Week

It's teacher appreciation week and I found the following in a post on Facebook from a former student:

Pissedoffteacher, as my high school math teacher well I meant to hate you, because everyone knows I hate math, but you made us laugh which in turn made me want to learn, and I left high school with a greater appreciation for what a good teacher could get out of even the students whom struggle.

Comments like that are what helps me believe I was a good teacher, one who made a difference in my students lives.  I'm glad I left before a bunch of incompetent administrators had the power to rate me ineffective because I was old and not afraid to stand up to them.

The pictures above are by an art teacher who took his students into the street and painted over a dreary, filthy, graffiti tunnel and made a little part of the city beautiful again.  This teacher is one who is making a difference.  Thank you Joel Artista from St. Gregory's.

Return To Work

 I thought I made up my mind to give up working in the college.  There is so much I want to do and working even two nights a week stands in my way.  I didn't want to go back but I was committed, my name was in the catalog and people registered for my class so I decided to stick it out.

Thursday was the first class.  I went in a little early to fill out some paper work and pick up syllabus to distribute.  A young man walked into the office to check on his class.  I looked at my roster and found his name.  He grinned from ear to ear when he heard I was his teacher.  He made my night.

I wish he wasn't so happy to see me.  I wish my first night didn't go so well.  I love being in the classroom and am not sure I am ready to give it up for good.

On another note, I will keep working because here I am evaluated by what I do, not by scores.  The college understands we have no control over who is in our class and whether they work or not.  We teachers are respected and treated like the professionals we are.

Holiday Gift

A friend shared this letter with me today.  It is beautiful.  It is the best gift a teacher could every get or want. This teacher was especially touched because her former supervisor was always putting her down, telling her what an awful teacher she was and how the kids did not like her.  We all need validation.  I was so happy she got hers I promised to share it here.

Ms. X,
I don’t know why it occurred to me to look for you on online now.
I have been thinking of you time to time but never imagined I could find you on world wide web.
I remembered your first name but have forgotten your last name so I couldn’t look for you until yesterday when I looked into my high school year book.
I was your student in late 80s and you knew me as Syo Lee
I’m not sure you will remember me by my name since you probably met many Korean students with similar names.
I was a shy student and spoke very little English.
You were my favorite teacher because you were gentle and kind.
You gave me a cookie once and I think it was Hamentashen now that I think of it.
You helped me to believe in me and not be afraid to show others what I am capable of.
Your gentle encouragement to come up and solve a problem felt that I was welcomed.
Your smile, gosh I still remember your big eyes and beautiful smile, made me feel like you believed I could do it.
Math wasn’t just a subject.
It was a language that let me talk to the world where people spoke different languages.
My peers respected me and interested to get to know me because I was good at Math.
That led me to enjoy my high school years in a foreign world that I just arrived.
You have done many mitzvoth. Thank you.
Looks like you are teaching in college now. Wonderful.
I am glad they have you as their math teacher.
I have become a hospital chaplain.
I recently moved from NYC to Dallas.
I used to serve as a director at a hospital in Manhattan.
I wish I thought of this back then.  I would have enjoyed seeing you once again.
It would be nice for us to reconnect.
I look forward to hear from you.
Shalom,

Teacher Apprecialtion



The teachers at Packemin are getting a treat with their lunch today, something special to show appreciation.  I'm guessing they are getting a piece of cake or some candy.  It might even be a special red pen.

There are a lot sweeter ways for the administration to show appreciation.  They can start by stopping the constant walk throughs, especially on half days and days before and right after vacations.  If they don't know by now who is doing their job and who isn't, they should not be administrators.  They can stop showing favoritism to certain teachers.  They can stop the verbal abuse and the screaming and yelling.  They should stop insisting every teacher have 100% passing in every class.

In other words, administrators should become humans and start treating teachers they way they want to be treated.  Keep the cake and bring on the humanity.

Recognition

A colleague recently told me that he wanted the administration to  recognize him, to notice he is a good teacher and finally show him some appreciation.  I told him to give it up, that would never happen.  Admins only seem to notice teachers when they do something wrong.  A student of his heard part of the conversation and shouted, "Mr. Hope, you are the best.  We love you."  A group of kids from the class joined in.  Mr. Hope has been recognized.  One day he might realize this kind is the only kind that matters.

This week I was fortunate to be at the senior award ceremony and I watched my kids, one after one, receive award after award.  It was wonderful.  Before leaving, a former student, a boy accepted at Cornell, Columbia, Yale, U Penn and Princeton (he's going to Princeton) told me I was an inspiring teacher, one of the few that got him to where he is today. 

This week, I got my award and my recognition.  I got it from someone who matters.