Today is my daughter’s birthday and it is only appropriate today that I delve, again, into the realm of real life teachers and praise those educators who spent their time with my daughter (and both of my sons) over the course of their school lives. My kids were blessed to have wonderful teachers – primarily – and teachers who challenged them, who engaged them, who encouraged them and who made them into the people they are today.
I can remember many of their names. I can remember many stories about them. I can say that they were part of our lives.
They remain part of our lives.
We who are in this work should not forget that our names are spoken around dinner tables. Our stories are shared on car trips. Our lives are intertwined with the lives of those we teach.
I am grateful to each-and-every teacher my sons and daughter had in their lives.
You were our partners is turning out wonderful young people.
We never know the influence we have… While culture tends to promulgate the “those who can, do, those who cannot, teach” idiocy, there are hundreds of examples of brilliance and impactful teachers in reality and in pop culture. Every-other-week this year, I will share my brief reflections on Smart People Doing Smart Things be they in literature, in film, in music or in real life. Many will be teachers, but not all. Many will be fictional, but some will be real. All will be inspiring. Welcome to IntelliPop!