The Star - News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area

First off, I would like to wish every teacher past and present a Happy Teachers Week. I have talked about my favorite teachers in the past and how they influenced my life. Even when I did not know or understand at the time, I came to realize that from pre-school to my senior year — and even including those who instructed me as a firefighter, EMT and any other course I took — have all taken time out of their lives and passed on knowledge that they had amassed and shared it with me.

But teaching and learning does not stop there. Or should I say begin there. You see, we start learning in the womb. Our parents are our ultimate teachers. Right from wrong, beginning reading, talking, crawling and walking all fall on the shoulders of mom and pop, influencing from day one to the very last. Grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins and other relatives all play a role in teaching. The young eyes of youth are always looking and soaking in the world around them. Every word. Every sound. Things seen and things experienced, teaching us things that mold us.

I know that is a lot of pressure. But it is the teacher in school that sets the tone for the big learning. Math skills, English etiquette, real physical education, science, home economics, life skills and reading all twist together and form our capabilities for higher learning. From lunch time to driver’s education, from band to leadership class, we soak in the pieces that touch us, and then store the rest for future use. Teachers prepare every day to show us a glimpse of something bigger; they prepare challenging assignments to test our ability. They challenge our thinking skills to encourage seeing both sides of an argument. Sometimes they even have fun, creating an atmosphere of joy to teach as an important lesson.

As we develop our own mind sets and figure out our interests, we gravitate toward the fields that interest us. Then those teachers develop us even further. Kids like Mathew Pakootas, Chris Whalawitsa, Tyana Towner and Josiah Desautel (I promised them) discover what they want to do when they grow up. Careers become a possibility, futures develop from the homework assignment of a dedicated teacher.

So again, thank you teachers, for putting up with our immature ways while you try and prepare us for the future. We don’t always show our appreciation, but we do need you. We know it. Thanks for showing up every day even when we don’t.

Teachers from all areas of life — parents, educators and everyone else — are the blood pumping through our education situation.