Although National Teacher Appreciation Day was last week, May 3rd, I won’t be going down ‘the-dog-ate-my-homework’ road here (although if you really want to know, there were conflicting dates on Google…).

ANYWAY

While I have never been an educator, my very brief stint as an ESL volunteer, and my tenure as  a sales manager have left lasting impressions of awe and respect for those who have chosen education as a profession.

While some may have initally chosen this field  for the work schedule, I don’t believe either that-or the pay-is the reason most decide to stay. I just know way too many people in this field.

Doug’s parents were both teachers-his dad tought science and then shop, his mom was in special ed, way back when that ‘department’ was a single room in the basement,  or next to the janitor’s closet.

Even without having children of our own, can’t help but see what is at stake, or recognize the awesome challenges and responsibilities professional educators face each and every day.

This is a cover from the NYT magazine section, about 2- 1/2 years ago. I saved it because it just hit me as an excellent visual.

The other thing I would like to share is not so quick…but I dare you to view and not be moved.

In the movie Mr. Holland’s Opus, Richard Dreyfus plays an aspiring composer who became a music teacher when life presented him with different circumstances.

The movie takes you through his life-his frustrations and disappointments. This clip is from the last scene, when he is retiring from teaching. 

If you have 10 minutes-(longer if you are like me-the weepy kind- and will need to re-apply eye make-up)-RELAX, ENJOY, then tell a teacher you know how much they mean -or have meant-to you.

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