Terrific Teachers by Angie Ledbetter

“Modern cynics and skeptics...see no harm in paying those to whom they entrust the minds of their children a smaller wage than is paid to those to whom they entrust the care of their plumbing.” ~ John F. Kennedy

Teachers – where would we be without them? Working with special education students for the last three years, and now with “regular” ed. teaching Religion, I can say I’ve never met a bunch of harder working people. To teach, at least in my state of Louisiana, is a labor of love. Not a single person in this field is putting in 8 hour days (and then sometimes 4 or 5 more at home) for the fabulous paycheck. Teachers plant ideas, knowledge, and love of learning into fertile minds every day, and strive to keep things interesting in the classroom. I won’t mention the “unfertile” minds these masters of the schoolhouse have to deal with, because this is supposed to be uplifting and positive. *smile*

From Pre-K to college, it is teachers who keep kids’ brains from becoming totally absorbed with all things video and digital. Without teachers, I wonder if there would be continued book sells. Who else teaches our kids the importance of reading and literature? Who else does so much for so little? Teachers rarely get to see the fruits of their labor, and when they do, it is decades before a grown student returns to express his/her thanks for a job well done.

With increased incidents of horrifying campus killings, teachers should be earning hazardous pay instead of barely-above-poverty-level wages. And at least in my area, the three month summer is a distant memory. We don’t get out until mid- or late May and return on August 4th!

So, today I salute teachers, tutors, mentors, and all who impart knowledge to others, and do a great job...for the love of teaching. THANK YOU!