Favor
Next week is Teacher Appreciation Week, with Tuesday being National Teacher Day. It's not always on the calendar and other than a photocopied note in your mailbox from the principal, a generic email from the superintendent, and maybe a potluck lunch from the parent association, it's not like there's a lot of fanfare. But sometimes during that week, you'll get a card from a student, former or current, that makes it seem like Christmas.
So do me a favor. Sometime in the next week or so, drop a note to one of your former teachers. Include your name, what subject/grade they taught, and which year(s) you were in their class - they'll probably remember you. Tell your second grade teacher that she was your favorite. Tell your Lit teacher thanks for inspiring your love of British poetry. Tell your fine arts teacher that even though you know you had no talent, you appreciated having a place where you could indulge your love of music/sculpture/whatever. Tell your Bio teacher how you still remember that one lab that was so interesting. Tell your Civ teacher that while you hated his class because he made you work so hard, once you got to college you realized that he had prepared you for life after high school more than anyone else. Tell your Algebra teacher thanks for putting up with you, period.
It doesn't have to be fancy - hell, it doesn't even have to be a real card; an email is fine. If you're not sure where they're at, just send it to them in care of the school. Chances are, the staff there will know where they've gone to and how to get in touch with them, even if they've retired. And nowadays, most schools have a website with email addys or links.
When you see all the junk in the papers about testing requirements and budget cuts and low salaries and apathetic kids & parents, a short paragraph on a notecard might seem like a little thing - but trust me, it makes the job worth all the other crap.
If you decide to do it, it'd be cool if you'd drop a reply. Also, feel free to post/link this entry.
So do me a favor. Sometime in the next week or so, drop a note to one of your former teachers. Include your name, what subject/grade they taught, and which year(s) you were in their class - they'll probably remember you. Tell your second grade teacher that she was your favorite. Tell your Lit teacher thanks for inspiring your love of British poetry. Tell your fine arts teacher that even though you know you had no talent, you appreciated having a place where you could indulge your love of music/sculpture/whatever. Tell your Bio teacher how you still remember that one lab that was so interesting. Tell your Civ teacher that while you hated his class because he made you work so hard, once you got to college you realized that he had prepared you for life after high school more than anyone else. Tell your Algebra teacher thanks for putting up with you, period.
It doesn't have to be fancy - hell, it doesn't even have to be a real card; an email is fine. If you're not sure where they're at, just send it to them in care of the school. Chances are, the staff there will know where they've gone to and how to get in touch with them, even if they've retired. And nowadays, most schools have a website with email addys or links.
When you see all the junk in the papers about testing requirements and budget cuts and low salaries and apathetic kids & parents, a short paragraph on a notecard might seem like a little thing - but trust me, it makes the job worth all the other crap.
If you decide to do it, it'd be cool if you'd drop a reply. Also, feel free to post/link this entry.