America’s future is not in the hands of presidents, politicians, lawyers, doctors, accountants, and other leaders. It’s in the hands of the professionals preparing those who will become the future presidents, politicians, lawyers, doctors, accountants, and other leaders, Her Teachers!
In its simplest terms, a “teacher” is “one who teaches.” The true “Teacher” however, embraces and accepts the challenge and responsibility of preparing America’s next generation to realize their individual potential and equipping them to fulfill it. In their hands rests the hope for America’s future!
There are those with the title of “teacher.” They do the minimum, without personal commitment to their students or accepting the responsibility or accountability for their results. They are “teachers” in title only.
The true “Teacher” has a personal commitment to their students. A commitment that goes beyond the rote teaching of the necessary information and skills their students will need. One that makes learning an experience their students will want to continue for the rest of their lives. They fully realize and appreciate that “how” they do what they do is as important as “what” they do.
True “Teaching” resembles an art form. It takes the same passion and dedication that an entertainer needs for their performance to win over their audience. Although the professional entertainer wants to reach every member of their audience, they can still be very successful if they only reach a substantial part of it. A Teacher however, does not have that luxury.
For them, success and failure is measured in the eyes, minds, and hearts of each individual student. The Master Teacher said it best. “If any man has a hundred sheep and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go and search for the one that is straying?” He was not willing to lose even one.
The Teacher’s heart and spirit transcends mere “mechanics and basics” and goes to the concern and commitment of dedicating themselves to their students and their individual ability to effectively apply what is being taught. It’s a task that, in a lot of cases, is made more difficult by influences outside of the Teacher’s direct control. These include physical or mental challenges of individual students, school funding, child abuse, and dysfunctional families to mention a few. Fortunately, for America and Her children, despite these additional challenges, there are those who feel a calling to become, in the truest sense of the word, “Teachers.”
Where then is the “greatness” of Teaching? It is obviously not based on factors such as wealth, title, or power. Yet, it is “greatness” in the truest sense of the word. “Greatness” based on the character, honor, generosity, dedication and commitment of those who are true Teachers and the quest they have chosen, “preparing our children for the rest of their tomorrows.” There’s not much that is greater or more important than that, not much at all.
