Honor Thy Teacher
Several weeks ago, in my hometown of Arcadia, California, the City Council honored high school teacher Tal Jones who had been selected as the local school district’s 2011 Teacher of the Year. During the presentation, which included a proclamation establishing “Tal Jones Day,” the Mayor (who happens to be my dad) commented that, while the City Council was honoring Tal that day, “We should honor our teachers every day.” What a concept.
I’m not against Teacher of the Year awards. The many accolades I received, and the many contacts I made, since being selected as the 2010 California Teacher of the Year have been extraordinary. I also support periodic events such as “The Day of the Teacher.” I even wrote a blog about the event, encouraging my colleagues to