As news about the success of NASA’s Artemis II crew made headlines last month, I ran across something that made me smile: every one of those astronauts attended public school. That means they sat in classrooms just like the ones in our district. They had public school teachers who believed in them, challenged them, and helped set the trajectory of their extraordinary life path. In the end, their education helped them make history.
Every year during Teacher Appreciation Week, schools across the country pause to honor the people who dedicate their professional lives to educating the next generation. Since real appreciation requires real understanding, I thought I’d share some details about why our educators deserve our admiration.
Beyond Academics
Generations ago, public school teachers were expected to teach reading, writing and arithmetic. If students struggled with social or emotional issues, they were often sent back to their families to figure things out, families who may not have had the knowledge or resources to support them.
These days, teachers who work in public schools play many roles. They show up as educators, counselors, social workers, nurses, and sometimes, as the most stable and caring adult in a child's life. The social and emotional challenges our students face have grown more complex, shaped by social media, fractured home environments, and a world that moves faster than most children are equipped to process.
Our teachers absorb all of that, and then they teach fractions.
What Great Teaching Looks Like
Teaching is not for the faint of heart. The ability to take complex content and make it accessible, engaging, and meaningful to a classroom full of less-than-eager students requires skill and patience. Great teachers make learning fun. They make it relevant. They find ways to connect curriculum to real life, all the while, meeting state standards, making time for testing, and all the rest of it.
We are fortunate to have teachers who love what they do and care deeply about their students. Here in Kelseyville, we have a high school agricultural mechanics teacher who was recognized as Lake County Teacher of the Year last year. Principal Mike Jones praised him, saying he “transformed the student experience by blending academic rigor with real-world skills,” calling his innovative approach “life-changing” for his students.
We have a kindergarten teacher who intentionally takes on the most challenging students because she believes every child deserves someone in their corner every single day. We have a band teacher who keeps middle schoolers genuinely excited about music. (If you’ve spent any time with middle schoolers, you know how miraculous this is.)
For many teachers, their day doesn’t end when the bell rings, whether they’re planning a lesson or grading homework. During the first weeks of school, one of our teachers calls every single parent of his students to introduce himself and share things he’s noticed about their child. He also attends high school sporting events to cheer on his former students. These activities are evidence of someone who has found their calling.
Teamwork Makes the Dream Work
When teachers go all in, although the work is hard, the rewards sustain them–and their students benefit enormously. Their classrooms become places where kids feel safe enough to take risks, to be vulnerable, and challenge themselves both academically and socially.
We recognize that being a teacher can come with some significant frustration at times. We also know that when parents support teachers and work in partnership with them, students thrive–and it helps good teachers stay in the profession. If you’re a parent, consider ways you can work with your child’s teacher.
To the hardworking teachers in our district: thank you for what you do. Thank you for dedicating your time, talent, and care to Kelseyville students. We appreciate you.