A teacher's work
A NOTE FROM SCHOOL
TRACY GRIT
When was the last time you pulled out an old yearbook?
Each month, when the newspaper shares articles that look back at our schools, I find myself thinking about my own years as a student, especially when those articles come from the 1980s. I can't help but smile at the shirts, the styles and the towering hair that must have taken hours to perfect before the school day even began. Inevitably, my mind drifts to what I was doing during that same time. Though I grew up just a few counties away, the schools and communities look and feel familiar.
In those articles, I also notice the teachers and administrators, captured in photos, quoted in stories about games, events and everyday moments. While some things have certainly changed, more have stayed the same than you might expect. Teachers no longer gather in a smoky break room, but they are just as dedicated, caring and knowledgeable as ever. Classrooms may now include tablets instead of textbooks and digital worksheets instead of paper copies, but the heart of teaching remains unchanged.
What hasn't changed is what educators care about most. Teachers still worry about whether their students have enough to eat, whether they have the supplies they need and whether they feel safe and supported. They continue to look at each child and see potential, often before that student sees it themselves, and they work tirelessly to help bring that potential to life.
I experienced that firsthand during my freshman year of high school. I had a teacher who encouraged me to take a business class. What she didn't know, at least, what I thought she didn't know, was that I signed up mainly because a few girls I liked were in the class.
What I didn't realize at the time was that she understood exactly what motivated me and used it to push me out of my comfort zone. She had me participate in sales pitches, one of which helped our team earn the opportunity to travel and compete against other schools. While I didn't pursue a career in business, the skills and confidence I gained in that class stayed with me and supported me throughout my life.
As we approach the end of another school year and prepare to celebrate a new generation of graduates, I encourage you to take a moment to reflect on the teachers who shaped your journey.
The first week of May is Teacher Appreciation Week, a time set aside to recognize the lasting impact educators have on our lives. Great teachers push us to see what's possible.
They recognize our strengths, challenge us to grow and believe in us long before we fully believe in ourselves.
I encourage you to reach out during Teacher Appreciation Week and let a teacher know that the investment they made in you continues to shape who you are today.
Tracy Grit is superintendent of McDowell County Schools.
