Opinion-Guest writer

Why we teach

Our students are our future

As Teacher Appreciation Week begins today, think about what that really means. When you hear the words "teacher appreciation," chances are your mind is flooded with dozens of aphorisms regarding the importance of teachers to our society. "Teachers change lives," "every profession begins in the classroom," and "teachers are the backbone of the country" are just a few examples of the language we use to describe our relationship with the noble heroes who educate our nation's children every day.

But, indubitably, we must ensure we do not become desensitized to the verity of these expressions. At a time when teachers are regaining control over the narrative surrounding our profession, it is essential to remember that teachers do so much more than simply impart knowledge. We develop intentional, individualized, and targeted instruction that we implement using the variety of carefully crafted strategies that we have researched, practiced, and honed.

We are also, as Manny Scott says, "a student of our students." We see how hard it is for "Alice" to comprehend a history lesson because we know she didn't have breakfast or for "Michael" to participate in a science lab because we know his bed is the backseat of his mom's car, at least until she can find a new job. Our students are our heartbeat--the racing pulse that sometimes keeps us up at night but always carries us from one day into the next.

The truth is, teachers really do save lives. We raise America's children. The teachers I know entered the profession because they love all children. They also love knowledge and truth, and they know that knowledge and truth are power. These teachers want to see every single one of their students rise with the power that is placed in their hands in the form of education.

Teachers break down the walls of intolerance, injustice, and inequity. We build bridges between real human beings and the past, present, and future. We fight for our children, and we speak for them when they can't speak for themselves. We tell their stories. We are the ones who possess the willingness, fortitude, and bravery to break free of the cultural prisons we build around ourselves, to denounce evil ideologies, to lift up every child, to empower each of them, and to promote civic engagement so that our students can stop hate dead in its tracks. We persuade the public that the right thing for all of us to do is to protect and support every single precious young human so that he or she can soar and make our world a better, brighter, more peaceful place.

Entire nations rise and fall on the shoulders of teachers. General Omar Bradley once said, "Teachers are the soldiers of democracy. Others can defend democracy, but teachers create it." Each and every day, we go forth into the world ready to empower others because we chose to be teachers.

Teachers, we see you, we appreciate you, and we support you. We see your tireless toil and your endless love for your students. Don't stop fighting for them.

To everyone else: Please, come be a teacher. Our children need you. I assure you will never experience a more intrinsically rewarding career.

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Courtney Cochran is Arkansas' 2017 Teacher of the Year.

Editorial on 05/07/2018

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