I  am so tired of teachers! Yes, all of them. And I’m theoretically one of them. Just try, for just a bit, to see your students as something other than a job. Try to leave your personal issues at the door so they don’t bleed over into the classroom. Try to be an adult and not resort to shaming children to cover up your inadequacies and mistakes. Recognize that you are a role model and then act like one.

I know you’re overworked, underpaid and very underappreciated. But, you chose this profession. You made a conscious decision to impact lives through education. You can also choose to change. No one is forcing you to continuing teaching.

Consider the harm you are capable of unintentionally inflicted upon students with your careless words and blasé attitude. Your students think the world of you. And yet, these same kids get beaten down because you have too much else on your plate to see what they can accomplish. You don’t see their potential because you are too busy trying to point out their flaws.

I miss my village. I miss compassion, understanding and cooperative effort. I miss having people in my life that are willing to hold me accountable without tearing me to bits. Here’s to you Mrs. Dunning, Mrs. Johnson, Mr. Cleckner,  Ms. McCray, Mr. Nissly and Ms. Fisher. Even Mr. Hashim who made me copy pages from the dictionary because I swore in class. Here’s to all the adults who watched over me and took the time to redirect my course when I strayed too far. Wherever you are, you are my heroes.