A column by Interim Secretary of Education Dr. Ben
Jones
In celebration of Teacher Appreciation Week, I want to thank
South Dakota teachers for your hard work and devotion to students.
I’ve had the opportunity in recent weeks to visit several
schools and classrooms across our state.
In a discussion with Mitchell students, a fifth grader
defined leadership as “when you make the people
around you better.”
If that doesn’t define teaching, I don’t know what does.
With our school system producing insightful fifth graders like that, you’re
doing great things.
In South Dakota teachers, I see dedicated professionals
pushing their students to achieve high standards in reading, writing, and math,
so that they will learn how to think, not what to think.
You know that students must graduate from the K-12 system
ready for college, career, and life. You know that a career is the means to a
good life, but it won’t teach what a good life means, so you push your students
to achieve high standards in civics, literature, fine arts, athletics, and in
appreciating our environment.
You recognize that your students have different talents and
skills and seek to develop all of them in the way they should go for South
Dakota’s common good.
You value students’ many cultures and shared future.
I also had the opportunity recently to attend the first
Educators Rising conference in South Dakota. Educators Rising is an
organization for students interested in pursuing teaching careers.
The students in attendance got to hear from several speakers
about the education field, and their enthusiasm was palpable.
Your profession is honorable, and the next generation of
educators comes into your classroom every day. Encourage them to follow in your
footsteps.
