Back to School: Thank You Teachers!

It's back-to-school time.  We started three weeks ago ~ seems way too early to me! When I was a child I don't think we went back until the beginning of September. I remember how summer vacation seemed to last for months, endless days of play and sunshine and daydreaming.

Since summer vacation is kind of an anachronism anyway, a leftover from the days when children had to help their parents on the farm in the summer, I've a feeling it's on its way to extinction as more and more schools go to full-year schedules. From an academic standpoint I know that's probably for the best, but nostalgia gets the best of me. To those of us who remember fondly those long, long, lazy summer vacations of our childhood, it feels sad to see the tradition go!

As we start a new school year, we should all express appreciation to our children's teachers.  I am married to a high school teacher, and I have known many teachers at all levels, and I know that teaching is a very demanding job.  For even the average teacher, it's hard work, lots of time spent working outside of school hours, and IMHO not enough pay!  For really excellent, dedicated teachers (which is many of them)  ~ even more so.  They are treasures, often underappreciated. 

Most of us had at least one teacher that really helped or influenced us along the way.  So, thank a teacher today!