Why Teachers are My Heroes

Superintendent News & Views

Why Teachers are My Heroes

By David Hill, Gladbrook-Reinbeck Superintendent

I am honored to be superintendent of Gladbrook-Reinbeck Community Schools, and I feel privileged to work with and support the work of such dedicated and talented educational professionals.  Next week is National Teacher Appreciation Week, and I’d like to take this opportunity to share with you why Gladbrook-Reinbeck’s teachers – and teachers in general – are deserving of our respect and our appreciation.  

Think back to when you were a child. Try to remember Kindergarten or another lower elementary grade.  Do you recall what you wanted to be when you grew up?  When you ask this question of our district’s youngest students, some of the more common responses you will hear include jobs such as firefighter, police officer, scientist, doctor or nurse, teacher, and various military roles. Kids will also often tell you that they want to grow up to do the same job that their mom or dad does.  Why do we so commonly hear these responses?  It’s because these are examples of the people that our students look up to. These people are our kids’ HEROES, and I think it’s awesome that so many students aspire to one day be a hero to others. 

As for me, I first remember wanting to be a teacher in the 4^th grade. Over the years, I probably changed my mind two dozen times as to the grade level or subject matter that I wanted to teach, but I never wavered in my desire to become a teacher.  One of the best days of my life was when I fulfilled my dream by joining the teaching staff at Benton Community Middle/High School. 

Perhaps the reason I wanted to teach is because I was influenced by so many wonderful teachers during my formative years. In addition to the teachers in my school, my grandmother was one of my greatest teachers. Grandma, a retired teacher, had so many stories about her years in the classroom.  Nearly every one of her stories reflected the LOVE that she had of her job and for her students. One of Grandma’s greatest rewards in life came from visiting with her former students and learning about how they have positively influenced their workplaces, their families, and the world around them.    

The relationships teachers build each day with our young people are helping to shape their future. The efforts of Gladbrook-Reinbeck’s teachers today are inspiring and preparing the next generation of innovators, community influencers, and world leaders.

Teachers are role models for our young people. They truly are HEROES. They help students to understand that school is about so much more than learning information. Teachers help our young people learn how to apply the knowledge they’re gaining to reach their goals, fulfill their dreams, and change the world.

 Our teachers are part of a larger team that works together to make a difference for our students.  The bus drivers, coaches, cooks, secretaries, custodians, teacher associates, nurses, speech-language pathologists, counselors, principals and others who work in our schools are part of this team, and all of them deserve acknowledgment for the great services they provide to our students each day!

I am very proud to play a role in supporting the work that G-R’s teachers and staff do each day. Thank you, teachers and staff, for your hard work and dedication – you help our students achieve success in school, in their activities, and in their communities; and, the work you do will pay dividends for MANY YEARS TO COME!!! 

I encourage your feedback on this column, along with any questions you may have. You are welcome to visit my blog at http://rebelsupt.blogspot.com/ where you can read all of my columns and leave comments if you wish. You are also welcome to follow me on Twitter, where my handle is @DavidRobertHill.