Thank You, Teachers, for Everything You Do

If you think back to someone who made a significant, positive impact on your young life, you might envision a parent or family member. Or you might think of a teacher.

Teachers hold many roles beyond providing curricular instruction. They give us a physically and emotionally safe place to be and to think and to not always succeed on the first try. It’s our teachers who believe in us before we believe in ourselves. Who challenge us, who truly “see us,” and who show that we each have something that is uniquely ours to contribute to the world around us.

Teachers in every role—from classroom teachers to track coaches to school principals to college professors—show us how to learn and, more importantly, how to apply the process of learning to the bigger picture. Learning begets better questions, new perspectives, and crazy ideas. It inspires us to meet big challenges with bigger solutions and give us confidence in our ability to succeed and contribute to the success of others. We carry that feeling of confidence and value with us well into our adult lives, and it changes the paths our lives take, the relationships we nurture, and the expectations we have of ourselves. Teachers show us that it’s not just what we do—it’s how we do it. And it’s teachers who have touched the lives of so many of us here at Illuminate.

Our team recorded these videos in January 2020, before the school closures began. Given the current state of the world, these stories are more relevant than ever. Teachers worldwide are helping students and families navigate times of immense change and rampant uncertainty. Teachers are working tirelessly to connect with each and every student, to provide support to parents, to ensure students and families are safe and fed, and, whenever possible, to continue learning: Learning to think, learning to overcome, and learning to feel pride in the things we do each day, especially when those things are very hard.

From the entire Illuminate Family, to every teacher, in every role: thank you.

For Teacher Appreciation Week, we will be sharing stories about how teachers impact our lives. We invite you to share your own story using #ThankYouTeachers and tagging us in your social posts. Illuminate’s social handles are:

• Twitter: @IlluminateEd
• LinkedIn: /illuminate-education-inc.
• Facebook: /illuminateeducation
• Instagram: /illuminateedinc

Happy Teacher Appreciation Week

Simon Miera is a Lead Trainer at Illuminate. The teacher that Simon would like to thank for Teacher Appreciation Week is actually his grandmother! As a principal and reading teacher, she taught Simon how to build his confidence in reading and numerous other things.

Dr. Sarah Brown is the Executive Director of Professional Learning at Illuminate. Sarah would like to thank her high school English teacher who was not only a champion for her, but also a great mentor and teacher.

Dr. Amy Jackson is the Vice President of Learning and Development at Illuminate. Amy would like to thank her 6th grade teacher who instilled a level of confidence that she didn’t know she had.

Rick France is a Project Manager at Illuminate. Rick would like to thank his 4th grade teacher who took the time to make him feel important—and inspired Rick to pursue a career in which he could do the same for others.

Jeremy O’Neil is Director of Customer Success at Illuminate. Jeremy would like to thank his high school chemistry teacher and track coach who instilled in him that “it’s not just what we teach, it’s how we teach.”

Tiffany Rudolph is an Account Executive at Illuminate. Tiffany would like to thank her high school science teacher who supported her during a difficult time in her life.

Glenn Gordo is the Email Marketing Manager at Illuminate Education. Glenn would like to thank his high school English teacher who took the time out to check in on how he was doing not only in school, but also outside of it.

Dr. Rachel Brown is the Senior Academic Officer at Illuminate. Rachel would like to thank her high school History and Social Studies teacher who was passionate about helping kids reach their potential.

Andrew Hensley is the Client Marketing Manager at Illuminate Education. Andrew would like to thank his 9th grade biology teacher who made teaching seamless, approachable, and engaging.

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Illuminate Education partners with K-12 educators to equip them with data to serve the whole child and reach new levels of student performance. Our solution brings together holistic data and collaborative tools and puts them in the hands of educators. Illuminate supports over 17 million students and 5200 districts/schools.

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