“A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.”
–Henry Brooks Adams
To celebrate National Teacher Day, I thought to share a story about one of my teachers who has touched my life. I was fortunate to have a series of teachers throughout grade school and into college who were kind, passionate, and inspiring. To narrow down one moment to share seems unfair. It was never one encounter that made the difference to me. It was day after day of shared knowledge, and encouragement, and their unwavering love of teaching the same material, year after year, but making it seem fresh and fun for me.
No, one moment would not suffice for me. But for some, one moment, one teacher who believed in them, one person who pushed them to their best is what made all the difference.
My mother was a community college teacher for over 20 years. She gave art to her students, and taught them how to give their art life. Her department was home to me, and I still remember the smell of turpentine and paint thinner when I think of my childhood. Her students became family too – some of them quite literally. And as I grew we all learned from each other. We still do.
My mother had a favorite teacher. There was one man who saw the seeds of potential in her and gave her the courage to show them light so they would grow. He made her an artist. He made her a teacher, too. She still talks about him from time to time, decades later, always with fondness and an irreverence saved for only the most precious of memories. He taught her how to pass on those moments of passion and skill and insight to her students, many of whom became teachers themselves. He started a chain reaction, and now it can never be stopped.
Mr. Plum, I’ve never met you. I don’t know if you’re still out there, or if you passed on long ago. But I’d like to thank you, Mr. Plum. Thank you for helping to create my family. I will make sure you are never forgotten.
National Teacher Day takes place every year on May 7. The history of National Teacher Day traces its root back to 1944, when one persistent woman began to petition national political and educational leaders. No doubt, Ms. Mattye Whyte Woodridge must have had at least one inspirational teacher, herself.
For more information about National Teacher Day and what you can do to celebrate the important teachers in your life, click here.