The students of Phi Theta Kappa, the honor society at my College, voted me “Teacher of the Year.” I attended a ceremony yesterday evening where I formally received my award, gave a little speech, and did the meet-and-mingle thing. This award means a lot to me because it comes from the students I teach, not some bogus bureaucrat in the academic hierarchy rewarding favorite suck-ups (we have plenty of those “awards,” too). Trust me: receiving an award from grateful students is better than money!
It better be, since there’s no money involved.
😉
Congratulations! I’m sure the award was richly deserved.
Thanks, Jeff. I’m sure Jackie knows what an award like this means to a teacher.
Just based on readingyour stuff, I always suspected you of greatness.
Teaching is one of those professions, like law and medicine, where you can achieve greatness if you practice it long enough, Dan.
Congrats!
Thanks, Bill. You know I’m not a fan of awards and prizes, but recognition from one’s students is something special.
Jackie adds her congratulations.
Thank Jackie for me, Jeff. I was voted TEACHER OF THE YEAR back in the 1990s and I told the students to take me out of consideration for a decade.
Congratulations, George! This is what happens when you give all of them an A. Be sure and put this in your memoirs!
Actually, according to the College’s statistical analysis of FINAL GRADES, I’m one of the tougher graders, Rick. I think most students appreciate fairness and competent teaching above all else.
George, I referred to you as “monstrously distinguished” some months ago. This new honor really confirms it!
Congratulations. I wish you’d been one of my instructors.
You could consider this blog an educational experience, Drongo. Thanks for the kind words!
My only fear, were I one of your students, would be that you’d assign a book a day as required reading! Well, tht and that you might find it necessary that I PROOF anyhting I turned in to oyu…
You know I did that on purpose, right?
I figured it out, Rick. I try to give my students their money’s worth.
A good teacher — like a good social worker, or a good policeman, or a good firefighter — is worth his/her weight in gold. Sad they don’t pay you that way. Congratulations!
Thanks, Jerry. Nobody goes into teaching or policing or firefighting for the money. Some things are worth more than money…like the respect and admiration of one’s students.
Congratulations, George!
I”m sure you’re as fair-minded with your students as you are in “real life.”
Treasure it. It’s tangible proof of a job well done.
Thanks, Beth! I try to be as “real” with my students as possible. Students hate phonies.
Way to go, Mr Chips. I would have voted for Mary Kay Letourneau but then I have a warped mind.
I don’t think Mary Kay was on the ballot, Bob, but thanks for the congrats anyway!
Well, even without the slightly innovative (or rather very, very traditional) methodology of Letourneau and her peers, clearly you’re doing something right. Further congratulations.
Thanks, Todd. I just try to “keep it real” in the classroom and the students seem to respond.
Congratulations Dr. Kelley! The award is well deserved. 🙂
You’re welcome, Lauren! It helps when I have excellent students like you in my classes.