As moms, as dads, and even as taxpayers, we all want to do everything we can to ensure our children have opportunities to grow, thrive and succeed. 2012 proved to be a tough year for U.S. public education, with budgets stretched thin, and a teach-to-the-test mentality imposed on our teachers. Who can really blame us as a nation for worrying that we won’t be able to produce graduates and future leaders who can compete in the global economy?
Even though by my assessment I was the only non-parent to take the stage at Parenting Magazine’s 2012 Mom Congress Conference, mom delegates from every state in the country welcomed me into their fold with open arms. It was incredibly energizing to meet so many moms who are singularly focused on helping their children succeed at any cost. I met one mother who has to fill out 19 applications a year to be able to send her children to higher performing schools on the other side of the city.
In honor of National Teacher Day, we asked some of our staff members to tell us who their favorite teachers are. What did we learn? That a lot of our staff members have moms who are teachers! Read below to see who some of our best teachers are, and what they did to inspire us.