Ah, yes. It’s the end of another year. 2018. So much to be thankful for and, perhaps for some, situations that were cause for sorrow. 2018 has given us all new memories to add to our own stories. This past year, Teachers of New Jersey shared the stories of over 20 teachers: all passionate and unique educators who are committed to enriching the lives of our next generation.
Among these stories were…
- A father who lost his young daughter to a tragic illness, and went on to become a teacher after her passing: something he always promised he would do for her. https://plymouthrockteachers.com/teachers-of-nj-prepping-the-heart-and-the-lessons-for-an-at-risk-trenton-classroom/
- A daughter who teaches speech therapy and credits her mother – who also was a teacher – with being her biggest inspiration for becoming an educator. https://plymouthrockteachers.com/teachers-of-new-jersey-mother-and-daughter-reflect-on-two-generations-of-teaching/
- A special education teacher, whose own son is a special needs student, expressing his great passion to help both the students and families of students, coming alongside them as an educational ally. https://plymouthrockteachers.com/carrying-on-a-special-education-legacy-in-toms-river/
- A teacher who finds inspiration for teaching elementary school students from her own 10-year-old “miracle baby” daughter.
- A second year teacher who, after summer vacation, came back to school with a special announcement for students: “I’m engaged!” https://plymouthrockteachers.com/teachers-of-nj-one-year-teaching-and-its-true-love/
- And another teacher who, because of her struggle to overcome her anxiety as a youth, has a soft spot for the shy, nervous, or otherwise struggling students in her classroom. https://plymouthrockteachers.com/teachers-of-new-jersey-turning-conquered-fears-into-teaching-gold/
Hearing these stories, and many others over the past year of interviewing educators for Teachers of New Jersey, it is striking how much the heart of a teacher is shaped by special relationships, special people. These relationships have shaped their very teaching styles and motivation for teaching. These people have even given them greater insights into how important their relationships are with their students. These inspiring teachers were a great reminder to me how important it is to nurture and invest in the meaningful relationships in my life as I move forward into 2019. May these teachers be an inspiration to us all.
And with that, thanks so very much to every teacher who has shared their story with us here at Teachers of New Jersey. May they – and all of you reading this – have a happy and healthy 2019.
Read all of the great Teachers of NJ interviews here. https://plymouthrockteachers.com/teachers-of-nj/ Would you like to nominate a special NJ teacher for a Teachers of NJ interview? Send us a note. https://plymouthrockteachers.com/contact/
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