As he was preparing for his historic journey into outer space, Neil Armstrong took the time to write a letter to his favorite teacher.
He wrote to her on the occasion of her retirement to thank her for the part she played in his life.
She taught him math in elementary school.
He never forgot her.
If you teach, you cannot imagine how many people will remember how you changed their life.
The longer you teach, the more there will be.
They may not remember who was mayor or governor or state superintendent.
They will remember you.
How many people have the privilege to work in a profession where they will be remembered with respect and admiration far into the future?
Next time someone makes a nasty crack about teachers, don’t be angry. Feel sorry for them.
You have something they will never have.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Diane, May I please use your post to make a poster? I want to put it with a photo of the footprint on the moon and hang it in my school’s teacher lounge and share it on my blog. I will put your name on the poster for credit and link back here.
Thank you for celebrating teachers.
Krissy Venosdale
@ktvee
Yes, of course!
Thank you for allowing me to use some of the most powerful words I’ve read in a long time! THANK YOU!
That is lovely! I will tweet that!
Thank you!
These are the rewards and memories we live for. The rewards of the past twenty-four years are pricless. If I also get the pension and health care promised at retirement. I’ll be a happy camper.
Thank you, Diane for your support.
Of COURSE he thanked his teacher; he later BECAME a teacher, probably because he KNEW what teaching was all about, huh?
I just had a parent whose two children I taught post about how they still remember how to sign and have taught their younger brother who did not go to my school. She thanked me for being their teacher. I printed it out to save for the days when I feel beat down.
Thank you diane for posting such the constant support you provide
You never know when you will hear or feel the thanks and who it may come from.
I was pumping gas one day and a parent stopped to thank me for a parent conference we once had for his preschool son. His son was now 12 years old and he told me that our conversation had changed his relationship with his son and set them on a new path. I must admit that the conversation at that gas pump set me on a new path as a teacher. It taught me that you never know what small thing you may do as a teacher that can have a powerful impact on a child’s life. From that day on I paid more attention and was more aware of my actions as a teacher. It was a turning point in my career. Thanks for reminding me.