Rough Draft Craft

For Sherrie

Teachers change lives

It’s inevitable

The question is will you change them for good

Or will your class be regrettable?

The choice is up to the teacher

Every day the good ones stand up and speak

They choose to be kind

to help kids understand how their brains are unique

And beautiful In their variety

With a voice to speak

They’re excited on a Monday when they really don’t mean it

And on Fridays with a smile it’s always see ya next week

But one thing every good teacher knows

Is that they Don’t just cover fractions and nouns but

how to get each kid to seek

Knowledge that serves their passions

Something no one can take away from them

Something that’s truly theirs to keep.

But Could you spot a bad teacher?

It isn’t always so clear

A lot of times they’re on pace

Meeting deadlines with good test scores

year after year after year

Their emails are always prompt

Their room is always clean

And when there’s a workday, they’re here

But that doesn’t mean

they get to the heart of it,

Or that they’re sincere

The good ones do all the same stuff

“D. All of the above”

But make no mistake

Their first learning target is always love

For each kid that may not get it at home

For each kid who gives you drawings you promise to never get rid of.

And when two friends are fighting

and hurtful words lead to a push and a shove

They don’t ad fuel to the flame

But guide them to forgiveness

With The peace of a dove

So at the end of the day

When you’ve done everything you could

When your feet are cramping and hurting from how long that you’ve stood

When you’ve criticized yourself and questioned your gift

way more than you should

I hope you know that when you

click on your turn signal

and turn into your neighborhood

That as long as those kids leave

Knowing that their loved

That their heard

And understood

You should never ever doubt it-

You changed their life for the good.