In Defense of Teachers!
I’ve been fortunate enough to make a living sharing the importance of perspective. As a speaker, I’m invited to present a hopeful message about the power we each hold over our own happiness.
Every August, as schools prepare to reopen, I’m reminded of how deeply grateful I am for teachers and the incredible work they do.
This time of year, is filled with teacher appreciation events, and speaking to these groups feels like talking to family.
Education runs deep in my blood.
Both of my parents were educators, and my daughter, Madison, has just begun her fifth-year teaching 3rd grade at a Title I school in Wilmington, DE.
Watching her launch her teaching career from her bedroom, connecting with her first class virtually during Covid, was a humbling experience.
Madison’s journey has shown me just how much our teachers give—often without the recognition or resources they deserve.
They’re much like frontline healthcare workers: underpaid, underappreciated, and constantly asked to do more with less.
Teachers love to teach, but they also navigate a system that often burdens them with endless procedures and requires them to dip into their own pockets for classroom supplies.
Madison once shared with me, “Dad, it’s my most disruptive students who I love the most! Because those are the minds I can change for the better.”
Her words remind me that teaching is not just a job; it’s a profound act of kindness and dedication.
One of the simplest yet most powerful ways to boost your own happiness is by being kind.
As this school year begins, I urge you to take a moment to be kind to a teacher. Acknowledge their hard work, offer them a few dollars to brighten their classrooms, or simply let them know they are appreciated.
It’s high time we all strive to be happier and, in turn, help our teachers find that happiness too.🙏
