Who are You?

The first seven astronauts selected for the American space program were Alan Shepard, Gus Grissom, John Glenn, Scott Carpenter, Wally Schirra, Gordon Cooper, and Deke Slayton.  All of them were household names when I was a kid.  They were our heroes and someone we aspired to be.  Being an astronaut was about the coolest thing going in the 60’s.  We drank Tang and ate Space Food Sticks at our lunch tables.  We were mesmerized at a space launch and prayed hard that these men would be returned to Earth safely.  Perhaps you recognize a few of the names.  To be selected, each of these men went through a grueling process.  There was a battery of intelligence tests, physical exertion tests, gravity tests, medical examinations, and mental stability tests.  These tests, of course, were used to separate the great from the elite.  Another part of the process was for each applicant to complete the following sentence, “I am …” in 50 different ways.  After the obvious “I am a man”, “I am a pilot”, etc., the candidates quickly discovered just how deep and penetrating that task was.  Incredibly thought-provoking.   Can you get to fifty?  Give this a try – how far can you get?

Here’s the obvious one – you are a teacher!  A noble profession that needs even more noble rookies to take the reins from us when we call it a day.  I thought about other descriptors of teachers.  Here you go.  Tell me if all of these aren’t right on the money – motivator, inspiration, mentor, big brother/sister, counselor, communicator, relationship builder, tutor, educator, supplier, instructor, leader, colleague, psychoanalyst, guru, coach, trainer, faculty member, disciplinarian, lecturer, lesson maker, assessor, data analyst, judge, mechanic, computer whiz, scheduler,  advocate, scholar, adviser, supervisor, and facilitator.  The list is not exhaustive.  What is the greatest compliment that someone could give you about your career in education?  I hope it would be something like this:  “Thank you.  You have made a difference in my life.”  It doesn’t get much better than that.  Thank you for what you do.  Happy Teacher Appreciation Week!