Yesterday was World Teacher Day.
Nothing in my mailbox, nothing from students or fellow teachers. Nothing on the bulletin. Nothing over the loudspeaker. Nothing today to make up for the nothing yesterday.
When it comes to me, this doesn’t matter much because I’ve been around. I’ve had really great students over the years who have taken the time to tell me how much they enjoyed my class. These same students stroke whatever ego I have left when they tell me that what they learned from me is the same thing that colleges are teaching them. Parents stop me at local stores to say hello and tell me things that are nice to hear.
Sadly, not everything is about me. We have first-year teachers (along with others who don’t have the most experience) who get that job, get stuck out on the island that is their classroom, and teach their kids in a bubble. Three math teachers last year came to our school and left in the same year. I don’t know the reasons because I never got to know them.
In the English department, we had a new teacher get hired a week or two ago. I wouldn’t know the exact particulars because she has never been introduced to our department or our school. We just had a late start the other day that included the entire faculty. I went in to introduce myself the other day, but she had her back turned and was talking to a student.
World Teacher Day? Not necessary for me, but it might be nice for someone new to be recognized for what they’re doing in class. Note to self–say hi to the new English teacher tomorrow.