These few meager, to the bone words, go out to all the teachers who are “unacknowledged”, under the radar in their magnificence.

I’m sure we can all name many of them. They support us, encourage us. They don’t make a big splash, aren’t particularly memorable but they “get the job done” – the job being to nurture the diamond in all students, to polish it, to make it believe in itself and make it shine.

I just came back from a hospital visit to a former “unknown teacher”, Mr. Worth. I’ve written about him previously in the post, “In praise of praise“. Mr. Worth, just understatedly went about doing his miracles. He wasn’t ever in the limelight. He never sought it. Instead, he was about the students, helping, going that extra mile and was a teacher 24/7, 8 days a week.

It wasn’t easy seeing him on his last legs, frail, fighting cancer and near death (but still transcending this monster). We always think of “our” teachers as strong, confident, in control. Yet life/death has its way with us all – even great teachers, teachers who are “unknown” and keep the lights on and hope alive.

Mr. Worth, Doug, my thoughts are with you and your family. You’ve done what only most teachers could ever dream – you’ve touched eternity in a thousand ways and made this world a much better place than if you hadn’t been.