By Phyllis Murray

One might ask: How can we measure a teacher? What is a teacher anyway? It is said that:”Out of the mouths of babes often comes gems.” Thus, quite often, when we are looking for answers, we must turn to children who sometimes speak, in words and phrases , more eloquently than their elders. Hence, our students crafted their answer based on their first hand knowledge of superb teachers. These students have experienced years of learning in a positive environment with concerned teacher/mentors. This is their story; One only they can tell… from their hearts.

WHAT IS A TEACHER

Written by Bibana ~Ashanti ~~Jamal~~Ellenah
~~Diana ~~John Henry ~~and Mohammed

A teacher is a symbol of learning: a leader of learners and
a miracle to education.

A teacher is an educational god that leads us to goodness
while caring for our learning spirits.

A teacher is the captain of our educational journey; Exact
about everything.

A teacher has the courage enough to teach; And knows mostly
all the answers.

Teachers become our heroic inspiration.

Teachers educate us with all of their knowledge. Smart and
spirited, teachers can make our brains work like computers.
Yet, our teachers can also hold our hands when we need it.

Teachers reach to the sky to get what we need; And exit a
subject just at the right time.

A teacher possesses the academics and grace that we all
love. Teachers care for us in every imaginable way.

Our teacher is the hero in our learning lives.

Education is the key to success. That is what our teachers
have taught us.

Teachers are a class struggle in liberty: Believing in
kids; Reaching out to kids; And instilling pride within all
of us.

Our education is important to our teachers. Therefore our
teachers struggle hard to teach every student: Checking
exams after school; explaining things so they are easier;
And reading to us or teaching us how to read.

Each one of our praises we give. And for everything our
teachers do, we will thank them today, tomorrow and always.

Phyllis C. Murray

UFT Chapter Leader

NB This piece was created by the Fifth Graders of P.S. 75X
to honor their teachers: Ms Sharin Terado, Mrs.Gisella
Montalvo .Mrs Elena Garcia et al. On May 5, 2006,
P.S.75X , received the Pathfinder Award. P.S. 75X has
been designated by the Business Council of New York State,
as one to the 12 most improved schools in New York State.

But look at it this way…

If accomplished teachers could be created like Athena, springing fully grown out of the head of Zeus, then one might have good reason for feeling guilty about starting as a novice teacher. But teaching being what is, a extraordinarily demanding and difficult craft which takes real time to be mastered, every great teacher has gone through the period of being the one learning the craft, with real students, that you are now in. If you work hard to be the best you can be, and you stick with teaching once you have become an accomplished teacher, you have every right to be proud of it all — including those moments when you were starting out.

Possible.

But that is the way the DoE measures children; it’s not our way — and it certainly does not need to be yours.

In the big picture, we need experienced teachers in all of our schools.

In the small picture, we need you.