I am not a teacher, not yet. I am in school to become one because I believe it to be one of the most rewarding professions. Being the vessel through which young people will learn how to navigate the world is something I've always wanted to do because I've always wanted my life to mean something and make a difference in some fundamental way. If I could drastically change even one student's life for the better, I will feel fulfilled.

So far, both from teachers I've had and my own experience in a classroom, I've learned that teaching is not all letter blocks and picture books and shiny red apples. It's not pencil skirts and sock buns and high heels. It's not always fun or simple, and it sure as hell isn't easy.

Teachers are extremely dedicated to their craft, especially given the circumstances they operate under. They are usually underpaid, underappreciated, and often overextended. Most teachers would be willing to stay past the last bell to help a student in need, and many of them are coaches or advisors for extra-curricular activities, which require them to put in many more hours at home.

Not only is teaching itself difficult but the schooling it takes to become a teacher is difficult as well. Teachers have to master their subject area, but they also need to be ready for Jeopardy with knowledge about students, how they learn, classroom management, behavior and discipline, adolescent development, and the list goes on and on.

Every day is different, which means teachers have to constantly be on their toes. They need to be prepared for anything, especially since they are in charge of anywhere between twenty and thirty young and powerful minds. These young and powerful minds are capable of more than we give them credit for, which is why teachers deserve a shoutout for not only dealing with this unpredictability but for doing it with precision and also teaching content while keeping behavior in check.

Teachers often spend more time with kids than their parents do, which can be weird to think about, but school lasts for eight hours a day and five days a week. So especially for elementary school teachers that stay with the same kids all day, in some ways teachers can have a larger impact during the most important years of adolescent development than parents.

We expect so much from our teachers, every day, and yet we don't make our appreciation for them nearly as well known as we should. Tell your teachers you appreciate them. It will mean more than you know.

Teachers who love teaching will teach children to love learning. Possessing the capability to learn is more valuable than anything else I can think of, and this is what teachers are able to contribute. That said, teachers deserve way more respect than we give them.

So to any teachers reading this: thank you. Thank you for teaching us History and Science and Math and English, but also thank you for teaching us how to be good citizens, and good people. Thank you for showing us how to cooperate, and how to manage our time, and all the other priceless skills you've given us. Thank you especially to my teachers, because without you I wouldn't be half the young woman I am today. You are loved, you are recognized, and you deserve far more credit than you are given. Thank you.