Thank Your Teacher

I have just returned from a student initiated memorial for my senior daughter's English teacher. He suddenly went to meet our creator on January 2^nd following a New Year's Eve gig - he was also a long time musician as well as the head of the English department. As a parent I always questioned a sort of creepy look in his eyes...one might describe them as suspicious beady eyes. Upon finding out that he was a long time musician / teacher it all became abundantly clear. His perpetually stoic glare was his continuous grasp for life; his undying longing to capture and embrace every creative moment that life would preciously send his way. He was like a hunter; a hunter of opportunities; opportunities to teach, learn, share and dream. He was my daughter's teacher; unknowingly also her mentor.

Mr. B's passing has rekindled in me, a mother of four and veteran teacher of 18 years, the appreciation for life and pursuing what life has to offer. More importantly Mr. B's passing has revitalized the importance of thanking your teachers and precisely what that means to me.

As a parent I find myself constantly echoing "use your manners" to my children. As a teacher I ridiculously repeat the phrase, "and then you would say.." following the receipt of a request from any one of my students. In my mind and occasionally out loud I would precisely express the magnitude of what I believe a ‘thank you' to represent.

Saying 'thank you' is an overt appreciation for the opportunity to be alive to appreciate the moment. It is the appreciation of being able to have your faculties intact and to be standing on your own two feet. It is the appreciation of being able to use your own vocal chords to express your own words for your own needs. It is the recognition of being able to draw your own breath to do such things. Saying 'thank you' is not simply the simple utterances of two mono-syllabic words, it is much more - so much more.

Saying ‘thank you' to your teachers is also much mort than just that as well. Saying ‘thank you' to a teacher like Mr. B is about learning from how he lived. Rumor has it that Mr. B lurked the halls, humorously taunting and harassing students into thought or laughter - depending on which was his mood at the time. He taught unconventionally and reached caverns in his students' minds that some didn't even realize existed - even the students themselves. He apparently continued a musical career for over twenty years that most would have ditched in pursuit of ‘a more serious' life. He understood that the voice of the spirit found in the arts like music, writing, poetry, dance or sport should never be quieted. As a matter of the fact, he blatantly emulated how in nurturing the voice of the spirit one can endlessly feed those who pass through his classroom and his life, with the same desire to reach their potential using vehicles bestowed upon them through the almighty creator.

Say ‘thank you' to your teachers by verbally thanking them in person if you are blessed with the union of recognized appreciation and courage during your youth. Say ‘thank you' to your teacher by passing on your newly acquired knowledge through your passion of choice. Say ‘thank you' to your teacher by communicating your awe and wonder of the world through your artistic medium of expression. Say ‘thank you' to your teacher by being all that you can be-and graciously sharing it with the world. There is only one of you and in optimizing who you are and what you truly represent is how you - knowingly or unknowingly - say thank you to your teacher.

Oh, and by the way, your parents are also your teachers.....