To this day, one of my clear memories from elementary school is a special school assembly held in the honor of a retiring teacher. Some classes had prepared songs for her, she wore a crown and sat upon a “throne,” and coworkers shared special stories about her contributions to the school. The recognition was memorable – even for me! –and I’m sure my teacher felt honored by it.
But why do we wait for a teacher to retire before we praise her contributions? Why don’t we praise a teacher’s dedication to the students before she’s left the building?