There is no national monument for teachers. I have never seen a statue of a teacher. But we all build monuments for teachers in our hearts.

Teachers change our lives. Teachers draw us out of our own tiny little worlds, and give us a broader worldview. They open our hearts and minds to new possibilities.

Everyone has a story about a teacher who changed his or her life. Everyone has a story about a teacher who had a huge impact on his or her life. And people wish they could reconnect with that teacher and thank him or her.

One of the reasons teachers have such a profound impact on our lives is because their work is tired so closely to the meaning and purpose of life. Every parent has the same dream for their child: They want their children to become the-best-version-of-themselves. Teachers share this dream. At the heart of this gift we call teaching is the very same dream.