National Teacher Appreciation Day 2012

I am today an amalgamation of the amazing teachers who inspired me along my journey.  My fifth grade teacher Mrs. McDaniels, my high school choir teacher Donna Norton and my college acting and dance teachers who pushed me to hone skills and explore the art of theater.

The hours those teachers spent made a difference.  How many times can you say you made a difference?

On this Teacher Appreciation Day, I'd like thank all teachers for your countless hours, your sweat and tears, and your relentless commitment to our children. You do not make enough in financial compensation, in my estimation, for taking on the task of preparing the next generation of Americans.  Thank you for answering such a higher call.

For me, nothing says what I feel about teachers better than Taylor Mali's brilliant poem - "What Teachers Make" - in the video above.  Mali is a vocal advocate of teachers and the nobility of teaching, having himself spent nine years in the classroom teaching everything from English and history to math and S.A.T. test preparation.

He has performed and lectured for teachers all over the world, and his New Teacher Project has a goal of creating 1,000 new teachers through "poetry, persuasion, and perseverance."

Visit http://taylormali.com for more on Mali and his New Teacher Project.