United Local Teachers Identified What’s Happening When Experiencing Their “Best Days”
If you have spent any time with us at Partnerships, you know we love teachers! We are proud of the important work they do and want to celebrate them not only in May but every month of the year. We believe teachers make all the difference, and we also believe the field of teaching and learning can be filled with joy!
With “reconnecting to joy” as one of our core values, we were thrilled to learn about the philosophy of Rebecka Peterson, 2023 National Teacher of the Year from Tulsa Oklahoma. In EdWeek (April 19, 2023), Peterson said her goal has always been to incorporate joy into her classroom, and that while there is space for both good and bad days, grief and triumph, “joy insists on the good, the true, and the light having the final word.”
Finding ourselves in May, Teacher Appreciation Month, let’s join together to appreciate our teachers. Let’s make sure:
We tell their stories of success, joy, passion and determination;
We thank our teachers for the tears they shed, the hours they invest, and the skills they help build; and
We do our very best to help schools be engaging and empowering places of joyful learning.
As Peterson said, “I hope that I can reflect teachers’ light and spread their messages of hope and love and tenacity even further.” At Partnerships, we also hope that we can spread the light, hope, and tenacity of educators!