The real world has no heroes who can jump over buildings in a single bound, fly across the sky at lightning-fast speeds, or stop bullets with their naked hands. However, everyday people can impact our world, our nations, states, and cities, and our local neighborhoods with heroic measures. These people put their pants on one leg at a time, as the saying goes, and face the same types of challenges that we all do. As a matter of fact, the challenges that many of our everyday heroes experience far surpass those that many of us face.

Think of the single parent who works, supports her (or his) children, and somehow makes time to invest in the neighborhood, church, and/or school. Consider the city councilperson who writes a grant for a community center to keep kids off the street. I could go on and on providing solid examples of everyday heroes because these people surround us and help us to be better than we could ever be on our own.

All too often, these everyday people are overlooked, but many will never say a word because they are not looking to be patted on the back or celebrated. What they do is merely a part of their own values and personal ethic. Most teachers fit into this category—they are not looking for a pat on the back or a formal citation. Just like other everyday heroes, good teachers teach and enjoy it for reasons that are their own.

That said, some teachers make enough impact on our world that celebration and praise—along the lines of what we give to the superheroes above—are relevant, meaningful, and appropriate. I believe teachers greatly deserve this kind of glory, even if they do not ask for it. The majority of non-teachers do not comprehend the magnitude of the demands, challenges, and risks public school teachers face. Some of those people even say, “It’s their job; they should do it and stop complaining.” Yes, teaching is just a job to some, but good teachers don’t see what they do as a job. They see teaching as a career, a calling, a spiritual commitment. These are the qualities that enable everyday teaching professionals to heroically overcome the hazards and obstacles of the education field.

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