Monday morning I got a text from my son Jeffrey, who is working at The Newton School as a PE teacher. He was pleased to have received a note from the family of one of the students, letting Jeffrey know that his work makes a difference for their son.

When I think about the teachers who have impacted my life, I remember Mrs. Bersch who loved reading us stories; Mrs. Quesenberry who made each one of us feel loved; and Mrs. Brown whose spunk made science fun. I think about Mrs. Self, my eighth grade English teacher, who sometimes reads this blog, who told me in recent years not to worry about the grammar, but to just keep writing. And Mrs. Millborn, who was young and inspiring and could relate to every teenager in the school. I loved Mrs. Tillman who taught Geometry along with goal setting, and Mrs. Porterfield who made my day by always starting class with a smile and a philosophical question.

Those are just a few of MY teachers who made an impact on me, but once I had children in school, I cared even more about teachers. Next year I will write about Mr. March, Mrs. Deutsch, Mrs. Ellison, and dear, dear Mrs. Shirley. Some days you showed more love to my children than I could.

Have you thanked a teacher this week? With the internet, you can likely find a teacher you cared about and let that special someone know. It’s never too late to say, “You made a difference for me!”

Part of being a good mentor in the workplace is reaching out to the people who made an impact on you in your life and letting them know.