Submitted by Mallory Graham
Open letter to teachers: You matter
This past weekend, my son played in his first hockey Jamboree. This type of event has everything a kid could dream of: competition, dance tunes playing nonstop, tables full of snacks, and camaraderie and friendship. My child had the opportunity to play five hockey games and several hours to skate, compete, and play with his friends. There was locker room laughter, games of tape roll hockey, and endless fist bumps. Still, the biggest smile I saw all day was when my son saw his teacher in the crowd. She had decided to come watch and support a few of her students and spend her day huddled around a frigid ice rink. During one of his games, his teacher was near the bench where players rest during line changes. During every single line change of the game, my son walked right by the bench to stand with his teacher and excitedly chat away his two-minute break. Having his teacher there meant the world to him. Teachers matter. They always have, and they always will. A teacher’s ability to influence a life is unmatched, and my son’s smile when he spotted his teacher from the ice is evidence of the positive influence his teacher has on his life. Teachers deserve the world. But, for now, this teacher got one big, sweaty, hockey hug.
-Mallory Graham