You know that scene in It’s a Wonderful Life when George Bailey says he’d throw a lasso around the moon and pull it down for Mary? That should be us with teachers only the moon should be happy hour gift cards and a surplus of school supplies. Here are five reasons why.
1. They’re basically saints.
I can count on one hand the number of children I genuinely love who didn’t gestate inside my uterus. Meanwhile teachers are out there just loving on unlovable kids for their actual job. That’s a skill that is highly underrated. There are children in this country who never feel loved or accepted by anyone except maybe one teacher who was able to see past their circumstances into their worth as human beings. The least we can do is buy that teacher a pack of dry erase markers in the fancy neon colors. Not the off-brand ones either, I see you.
2. They’re basically highly skilled actors.
Picture this, you’ve been enjoying your lunch “break” grading papers and making copies when your class enters the room after a nice long recess. The thing is, you wouldn’t need to hear the pitter patter of their feet or the slam of a door to know they’re coming, because the smell gets there first. You know the smell. It’s like musty grass mated with leftover curry to make a perfume not even a Kardashian could sell. But guess what, you’re a teacher so you pretend you can’t smell it. Because pointing out the undeniable stench would make your students self-conscious in a time when their self-worth is delicate. Someone buy that teacher a gift card for a facial, their pores are going to need it.
3. They’re basically super heroes.
It’s bad enough that teachers routinely have to lock themselves into an enclosed space with students on rainy days. There’s only so many games of heads up seven up that one person can supervise before they begin questioning their life choices. But then add in the fact that teachers are literally being asked to protect their students from danger. Whether that danger comes in the form of a natural disaster or a gunman on campus, teachers are the final stop-gap. What’s a gift that says, “Thanks for being willing to sacrifice your life to protect my child when I can’t be there.”?
4. They’re basically doing your job for you.
Let’s face it, if we were in pretty much any time period pre-industrialization parents would be tasked with educating their children. No thank you. I can barely get my kids to put their shoes on in the morning. There’s no chance I’d be able to teach them basic cellular structure. That sounds hard, buy them wine instead.
5. They’re basically our last hope.
The world is a weird place and we’re going to need the children of today to make it a better one tomorrow. Somewhere in a classroom today a teacher is teaching the person who will cure diseases or design a way to rid our oceans of plastic. In another classroom a teacher is teaching ethics to future presidents and CEO’s. So please, pick up a basket of muffins for the PTA potluck breakfast and be glad you’re not them.
Thank you to all you teachers. I don’t care if you home school in your yoga pants, volunteer in a hippie commune co-op, or work at the poorest (or richest) school in town. It takes a village to raise a child and a child to change the future. I’m glad you’re all in my village.
What’s your favorite gift to give teachers? How did teachers impact your life? Let’s talk in the comments.
Read more about teachers on TN here.
