By Kristin Dudley

They weren’t just there for the lessons. The best teachers never are.

They’re the ones who noticed the quiet kid in the back who didn’t raise their hand, but always turned in their work. The ones who looked past the sarcasm, the skipped homework, or the eyes heavy with something that had nothing to do with school—and offered patience instead of punishment. The ones who stayed a little later, gave a little more, and believed in us before we knew how to believe in ourselves.

A great teacher doesn’t just teach curriculum—they teach confidence. They teach courage. They teach kindness by example. They teach morals and values.

They’re the reason someone decided to keep writing. Or stopped giving up. Or finally said, “Maybe I can do this.” They are cheerleaders in the background of our lives, years after we’ve left their classrooms, still rooting for us even if they’ll never know the impact they made.

I’m lucky I still have several in my corner.

To every teacher who spent your own money on supplies, spent your evenings grading papers, spent your energy managing more than anyone sees—thank you. Thank you for showing up every day when it was hard, when you were tired, when no one seemed to notice the weight you carried.

To the ones who made space for us when we were struggling, who called out the good in us when we couldn’t see it ourselves, who made school feel like safety—thank you. You didn’t just teach. You transformed. We don’t say it enough. We don’t say it loudly enough.

But we’re saying it now: thank you for being one of the good ones. Many of you mattered more than you know. And still do.

Enjoy the summer and find a purpose. It’s a break from the classroom chaos even though it’s hard to be without ‘your kids’ a full season.