Congratulations and Thank You to your wife and your family.
In my office, I have a framed postage stamp that I purchased at the Smithsonian Postal Museum. The 3 cent stamp commemorates the 100th Anniversary of the National Education Association in 1957 - "Honoring the Teachers of America". The mat includes an oddly cynical but humorous version of the Teacher's Creed:
We, the willing, led by the unqualified, have been doing the unbelievable for so long with so little, we now attempt the impossible with nothing.
A far more affirming version, which Karen and other dedicated professionals obviously exemplify is:
I am a teacher.
I accept the challenge to be sagacious and tenacious in teaching every student because I believe that every child can learn.
I accept the responsibility to create a learning environment conducive to optimum achievement academically, socially, and emotionally.
I actively pursue excellence for myself and for my students.
I provide a model of decorum and respect that guides my students as well as honors them.
I affirm superlative expectations for my students and myself.
I cherish every child.
I am a teacher.
I change the world one student at a time.
It is good for us all to recognize and honor the important work Karen and others do every day in making our world a better place.
Bravo!
