As summer comes to a close, students across the country are heading back to the classroom. Another school year is set to begin and, with it, much nostalgia for those of us who are years removed from our graduation.

This time of year always reminds me of my Midwest upbringing. In late August one will notice the leaves of a tree here and there change colors—subtle shades of yellow, orange, and red. The first weeks of school were always hot and humid, but would soon give way to cooler temperatures that were sure signs autumn was near. I remember spending weekends helping assemble homecoming floats, participating in marching band competitions, and donning a Packers jersey and cheering them on with my parents.

These are just a few of the reasons why the start of the school year was always exciting to me. It was a promise for a fresh start; the unfolding of new opportunities that I could capture. 

The other reason starting a new school year was so special? The teachers. 

Even though nearly a decade has passed since graduation, I am just starting to recognize the pivotal role so many teachers played in my personal and professional trajectory. Without even realizing it at the time, my teachers shaped and molded my character, pushed me to consider new ways of thinking, and encouraged me to take chances that eventually led to where I am today.

The Role of Teachers

Of all professions, teaching is truly special and unique. Despite being one of the most undercompensated and undervalued career paths, teachers seem to be among the most caring, generous, and thoughtful individuals. 

They are, quite literally, developing the next generation of innovators, civic leaders, artists, manufacturers, and every other future contributor to society. It’s hard to overstate the burden of this responsibility. Few other jobs require such dedication of time and effort, and even fewer have such a sizable impact on the lives of others. Many teachers seem to be fit for this exact purpose. They believe in the power of impacting the lives of individual children. They strive to teach more than their subject area of expertise. They want the absolute best for their students. 

This sense of duty is driven by an innate higher purpose. The majority of teachers are dedicated to their cause and invest their entire selves in the success of their students and classroom. In many ways, their process for growing and developing students is a masterclass in empathic leadership. 

One of the most remarkable observations I have of the teachers from my childhood is how they dedicated so much to ensuring every student received a great educational experience. I was the elementary school student that thought teachers lived at school and weren’t actually people outside school hours.

Much to my surprise, most teachers are married, have children of their own, and teach for their job. Crazy! 

Even with busy personal lives, so many teachers still commit their all. You will see them parked at school on Sundays setting up their classroom for the week. They spend hours in the late evenings grading papers and giving thoughtful feedback. They stay late or arrive early when a student asks for help. 

This was the experience I had with the vast majority of my teachers: incredibly committed, driven-to-serve people who believed in the power and impact of their role.

Mrs. King and the Teachers Who Changed My Life

In reflection, many teachers have left their imprint on my life. Each with a unique lesson or piece of proverbial advice, few provided me as much confidence and insight as Mrs. King, my marketing teacher of two years who inspired me to study marketing at university and pursue it as a full-time career path. 

Mrs. King was a former marketing and public relations leader in sports and brought a wealth of wisdom from her years of experience in the private sector. She used her classroom as a ‘marketing lab’ where we organized trade show booths, tried new products and discussed their branding, and developed promotions for school fundraisers and other events. She taught me the power of marketing for good: how it can reach people and drive emotion, encourage action, and inspire change.

Mrs. King was a significant impact to my professional trajectory, and I owe her for sparking my interest in marketing. 

The list of other teachers who impacted my life is long. Mrs. Cernohous, my ninth grade English teacher, for example, reminded me on the last day of school after my sub-par final exam performance that it was just one small snippet of my life. Translation: failure is not the end of the world! 

Mr. Anderson, my junior high social studies teacher and advisor of the Student Council, unlocked my enjoyment for leadership and service by giving me the license to coordinate fundraisers and events as part of the student club. Mr. Shipe and Mr. Manka, both high school band directors, taught me the importance of practice and hard work when things didn’t come naturally (and if you heard my saxophone playing, you would understand why this lesson was critical to my survival in band). 

Mrs. Meier, my fourth and fifth grade teacher, provided a space for all of her students to grow in their creative thinking skills, teaching us that creativity was the key to effective problem solving. She encouraged us to volunteer (we all had a ‘buddy’ at a nursing home we visited once a month) and had us participate in a program and appreciation breakfast every year around Memorial Day for local veterans and community heroes.

I also recall hearing that Mrs. Meier would purchase clothes and toiletries for her students that could not afford them. 

These teachers and dozens of others taught incremental lessons all throughout my childhood. To say I was lucky is a massive understatement. Only in the past several years have I realized the size of their impact on my life. It’s notable. It’s obvious. It’s appreciated.

Our Chance to Offer Appreciation

As teachers return to their classrooms and seek to continue their selfless work, we each have an opportunity to show our appreciation for their contributions to our lives. It seems reasonable that we all have at least one teacher who made a notable difference in our life—who inspired us to be better, to think differently, to pursue a path that others had not previously suggested. 

Below are a few ways we can offer appreciation to the special teachers in our lives:

• Write a note to a teacher who impacted your life and articulate your thanks and appreciation (email is great, handwritten is even better) — don’t underestimate the power of a few sentences.

• Donate books, school supplies, or other materials to a teacher’s classroom (many teachers buy supplies out of their own pockets, so even a small donation goes a long way). Organizations like AdoptAClassroom.org and the Kids In Need Foundation are great places to start if you don’t know a teacher personally.

• Ask teachers what they need to have an even greater impact — whether that’s donation of time, helping to fundraise in the community, or mentoring students, the best way to get started is by asking.

Imagine if everyone took just one action from the list above and performed it once every few months. The collective impact would be significant—an incredible sign of thanks and appreciation to those in one of the world’s most magical and special profession.

So, who’s a teacher you need to thank today?