Teacher Appreciation Week…

This is it. Teacher appreciation week. Here’s Charles Blow’s wonderful op-ed appreciation of his best teacher, his mother. I would add my mother to that list. She taught me so much–to be positive; to work hard; to expect to succeed; to be happy; to take life on, even when it’s hard–as we dealt with my father’s early death and had to move to three different countries–finally moving to New Jersey when I was in fourth grade. There, I will always remember my teacher, Mrs. Jones–who taught me math and history and science and English (long before pull outs or ESL or bilinigual education) by including me in everything and expecting me to learn English quickly. I did. I am forever grateful to her and to all the teachers I had. Most — by far–were wonderful.

As Mr. Blow write, it’s long past time for us to honor our teachers and stop blaming or demonizing them. Let us get that message before it’s too late for all of our students.