Teachers.

Tiffany,

You put your heart into each piece of work during this course. Your attendance was perfect and you have earned a well-deserved "A" in ----.

Thank you for your thoughtful work on the Delpit Panel and also your last reflection. I enjoyed your quotes and this one in particular: "In the light of death, in the light of eternity, life is put into perspective."

Also, your final paper on the influence of globalism on language, culture and identity in Hong Kong was fascinating. Hopefully in our near future more people will see themselves as "global citizens of the world".

Thank you again for your hard work. It was a pleasure getting to know you.

Best,
Jeff
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When I was little, I wanted to be a lot of things.

• A mailman to give people happy letters. (I did not know that bills existed.)
  
• A weatherman to study the clouds and fly. (I thought weathermen could fly.)
  
• A librarian so I could bury myself under all the books I wanted. (I was and still am a big nerd. No shame baby.)

Among all professions, though, I wanted to be a teacher. My elementary school teachers cared for my well-being, not just in school but outside of school, too. Admiring their hearts, I wanted to be a teacher so I could help other kids AND erase the blackboard. As I got older, I found out that not all teachers were created equal. For some, we were just a paycheck. In college, I learned to hide behind the anonymity of large class sizes and to stop caring because they didn't. Good teachers are often the ones who push you to excel because they believe you are capable of the challenge. I don't think I've been challenged by any teacher since my high school literature classes with Mr. Chang. I remember being really disappointed with college my freshman year.

This class and this teacher surprised me. From his feedback, I could tell he really took the time to listen to each and every student. If all teachers were like this, students would flourish not just intellectually but as people, too. While reflecting on the point of education and what educators should be like, I remembered a letter I read that has stuck with me.

Dear Teacher:
I am a survivor of a concentration camp. My eyes saw what no person should witness: Gas chambers built by learned engineers. Children poisoned by educated physicians. Infants killed by trained nurses. Women and babies shot and burned by high school and college graduates. So I am suspicious of education. My request is: Help your students become human. Your efforts must never produce learned monsters, skilled psychopaths, educated Eichmanns. Reading, writing and arithmetic are important only if they were to make our children more humane.

My teacher motivates me to do better, to be a listener, to notice the small details and to care. I think I will email him and tell him that now.