HowDoIThankaTeacher?LetMeCounttheWays(WithApologiesto
ElizabethBarrettBrowningandHowDoILoveThee(Sonnet43))
There have been many studies that note that the most influential person in an
individual’slifebesidesafamilymemberisateacher.Irememberoneofmytoughest
teachers ever at Norfolk Academy whom I might not crown as my “favorite” but
received my greatest respect, forced me to stand up for myself when I was wrongly
accused. The misunderstanding happened outside of class. And, after I had cleared
myselfofthemajorinfractionthatifleftuncheckedwouldhavemeant4demeritsanda
Saturday detention on an otherwise spotless record, I remember feeling triumphant –
masterofmyowndomain.Itwasthatteacher’ssenseofjusticeandhighexpectations
ofmethatpushedmetodefendmyself.
So many times we underestimate the full potential – not only in but also outside the
classroom - that teachers have on us until some time has passed and we gain
perspectiveandwisdom.Ihavehadtheuniqueviewpointofworkingwithindependent
schoolsPK-12inVirginiaforovertwentyyears,witnessingmanyoutstandingteachers.
In this arena I have had the honor to work with teachers of all types: public, private,
parochial, nondenominational, preschool, elementary, middle, high school, and higher
ed.Additionally,Ihavethreechildrenwhohaveattendedprivateschools.WhatIhave
come to know is that teachers need to be thanked this week, Teacher Appreciation
Week, but also, next week, next month, all school year and beyond. One week of
appreciationissimplynotenough.
TakingasnapshotofwhatIhavewitnessedinmyownjobfortheVirginiaAssociationof
IndependentSchools(VAIS)inthelastmonth,Iseeeagerteacherswhohaveoutfitted
maker spaces so that today’s students can create in new ways with hands-on
experiences unlike any before. I hear from teachers looking for new ways to connect
withthegreatergoodintheircommunitiesastheyinstillinstudentstheethosofservice.
I hear about a group of teachers who have shepherded students in a sustainability
projecttoraisechickensinacooptheybuiltontheircampus.Iseeteacherswhoseek
internationalopportunitiesfortheirstudentsastheyrecognizethattheglobeisflatter
than ever before. I learn about teachers who are working with students to make a
tsunami-resistant beach area, teachers who are guiding students to write their own
honor code, and teachers who are working with students on the production of a
ShakespeareRenaissanceFair.LastweekendIheardfromateacherwhohadmentored
acapstoneprojectwherestudentsactuallydevelopedanappforthecollegesearch
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process. A company bought the app and some of the students are now working as
employeestoruntheapp.
Forallthisandmore,theroleof“teacher”ismorecomplex.HowdoIbegintothanka
teachertoday?Oneplacetostartisbyrecognizingthemanycomponentsofthejob.
Hereareajustafew:
DoctorinTraining
Howmanystudentsareoutfittedineyeweareachyearbecauseteachersnoticedthey
couldnotseetheboard?Howmanystudentshavehadconcussionsingymorsports
class,skinnedkneesontheplayground,fallensickinthemiddleofaquizandbeen
comfortedbyateacher?
EtiquetteOfficer
Whobetterthantobeaback-uptotheChiefEtiquetteOfficer(Parent)thenthe
teacher?Whetheritbeliningupinstraightlinesandlearningtheartofsilence,or
showingrespectduringapresentation,childrenlearntheperimetersanddisciplineby
abidingbytheteacher’sinstructions.
LifeCoach
Howmanytimeshasateacherheardthepersonalstoriesofstudentswhethertheyare
fromafamilymemberorfromthestudenthimself?Howmanytimeshasateacher
practicedtheartoflistening,patience,andunderstandingastheteachershowscarefor
thestudent’swellbeing?
TalentScout
Ateacherisofteninthepositionofidentifyingachild’sstrengthsandweaknesses
academicallyandextracurricularlyinordertogainagreaterunderstandingofthewhole
child.Howofteninthatprocessdoesateachergaininsightintoachild’srealtalentsand
genius?
RiskManager
Ateacherisoftenchallengedwiththetaskofassessingtherisksthatconfrontachild
anddetermininghowtomitigate,monitorandcontrolthoserisks.
ChiefMarketer
Whoisthebiggercheerleaderforyourchildatschoolthanateacher?Whowitnesses
thecracksinthepavement,sotospeak,butlookspasttheflawsandseesthepotential
ofthepathahead?
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ChiefStrategist
ThedefinitionofaChiefStrategistisanexecutivewhoisresponsibleforcarryingoutthe
strategicinitiativesthroughdeveloping,communicating,executing,etc.Inthetruest
sense,theteacherisonewhoshepherds,communicatesandevencajolesstudents
throughtheyearastheytrytoremaintruetothemissionandvisionoftheschool.
Therearemanyfacetstothisdiamondwecall“teacher”andhowprecioustheteacher
istouswhenourchildrenbenefit!Sohowdoyouthankateacher?Iwillletyoucount
theways.
KimberlyE.Failon
DirectorofCommunicationsand
AdministrativeProfessionalDevelopment
VirginiaAssociationofIndependentSchools(VAIS)
VAISservesmorethan4000facultymembersand31,000studentsinVirginia.Formore
information,gotowww.vais.org