Insights from Texas Teacher of the Year Banquet

Tonight, I was blessed to sit in the room with 42 exceptional teachers, each sharing a bit about their journey to being named a Texas Region Teacher of the Year.  For almost an hour and a half, these men and women shared from their hearts what it meant to be a teacher.  Here are some of their insights:

* Teachers are the only people in the world who get excited about laminating something. 

* Being teacher of the year is not about me.  It is a reflection on my team.  So many deserve the same thing.

* My husband was in corporate America.  Every day he saw me coming home with stories and excitement about my day. He always said, "I want what you've got." So, finally, he quit his job, went back to school, and became a teacher, too. 

* Teachers don't know the effect they have on kids. Every day, teachers have the chance to touch and change lives in so many ways. 

* My kids come to me hating math.  I love math.  This balances the equation. 

* Treating students with equity doesn't mean treating them all the same.  It means giving them what they need at that moment.  

* I couldn't have done this without the amazing team of people I work with every day.

* Teachers are the same everywhere in the world.  They care about kids and do whatever it takes to help them succeed. 

* What is the difference between teachers and students in the Philippines and those in the United States?  Here, they speak English. 

* Don't tell my principal, but I'd come to work every day even if they didn't pay me.

* Teachers are hard on themselves.  Even when they do great, there is still that nagging feeling that I could have done better. 

* Be your own cheerleader.  

* You are better than you think. 

* Kids rarely know that you flubbed a lesson.  They do know, however, when you really love and care about them. 

I wish I had been able to record every single word from these amazing teachers.  These were the lessons from several hundred years of experience in one room.  But, in a nutshell, teachers are some of the hardest working people in the world and they affect millions of lives every day.  I am blessed to be in such an amazing profession.  (By the way, my lovely wife Sheryl was one of those recognized tonight and I am so proud of her accomplishments.)