When’s the last time you’ve fully stopped to take a moment to appreciate your teachers? Think about it. They plan out entire lessons for days. They come to school when we don’t for who-knows-what-but-probably-important-teacher-stuff. They have the willpower to teach a large room of cranky teenagers who haven’t had their morning coffee yet. They deal with all the troublemakers and find extra time to help those who need it. They do so much for all of us, and have we ever even stopped to thank them for it? And I’m not talking about the ‘Thank you, have a good day’ at the end of the class. I mean fully thanking them for all their hard work.
If not, never fear! That’s why I’m here! Because it’s Women’s History Month and it’s time to appreciate some women who literally give their all for their classes. That’s why I created a Google form and sent it to the entire high school to ask which female teacher should be recognized and appreciated for all their hard work this WHM.
By the end of the week, I had- well, not plenty of information, but enough information- to see who the data ruled in favor of. The 30 high school students who were so generous as to pick up their phones and answer three questions (seriously, guys, you’re getting lazy) chose to recognize these teachers. Drum roll, please: Dr. Alswang, Mrs. Buchar, Senora Calvo, Ms. Crooks, Senor Fernandez, Senora Frances, Mrs. Gallo, Ms. Girgin, Ms. Grady, Ms. Hathaway, Ms. Hernandez, Mrs. Hida, Ms. Jaretsky, Mrs. Kearns, Ms. Lilikas, Ms. Moleen, Ms. Romanski, Ms. Scotti, Mrs. Wallace, and Mrs. Walter. If your name is here, congratulations! Remember that your students appreciate you and recognize everything you have done for them. If your name is not, please don’t feel bad about yourself. You are an amazing teacher and I am almost entirely certain that your students do appreciate everything you’ve done for them. They just didn’t say so.
Out of all these names, Mrs. Gallo and Ms. Jaretsky were mentioned the most. So I decided to reach out to them.
“I’m gonna cry, seriously?” were the first words Mrs. Gallo said when she heard the news. “You literally just made my day, my week, my month, my year. That’s so sweet.”
For those of you who don’t know, Mrs. Gallo teaches Special Ed math and coaches cross country, indoor track, and spring track, and bakes. She was completely overwhelmed and overjoyed to hear that her students recognized everything she’d done for them. Or at least her delicious brownies (her words, not mine). She works super hard for her students and always tries to make her classroom a supportive environment.
“I believe to be realistic and honest, I don’t lie,” she said. “I give them respect, I expect them to respect back, and I guess I keep the line where it should be and… I always try to be fair.”
Not to be forgotten, Ms. Jaretsky also gained the recognition and appreciation of her students.
“Wow, that’s so nice!” said Ms. Jaretsky when she found out, “It’s kind of hard to know if you are [doing a good job]… but… to have that acknowledgment on the other side of it is really cool.”
Ms. Jaretsky teaches English 9 and all Journalism classes. This year, she took on the extra weight of English 11 and started a new high school book club with Ms. Romanski, yay! And of course, she runs the Glen Echo.
Ms. Jaretsky is an amazing teacher, and yes, I’m very likely biased because I have her. She is always so kind and understanding, even with the additional responsibilities she’s taken on. When I talked to her, she said she always tries to create a good environment in her classroom. And it seems to have worked!
“She’s very understanding when something comes up, and is always willing to talk deeper about topics,” said an anonymous student. “Ms. Jaretsky is always so kind and lively in class. Even teaching [an extra class] on top of her usual ones, she is always willing to help. She makes class incredible and always something to look forward to,” said another (It was me. Yes, I filled out my own form).
When asked, both Mrs. Gallo and Ms. Jaretsky saw their mothers as role models. It’s easy to forget that the people we see in everyday life are part of history too. Even if the things they do don’t affect everyone, they affect us. And that’s just as significant. So it’s important to recognize not just historical figures, but all female role models. Whether it’s one’s mom, a teacher, or a historical figure, they all hold an important place in the world and our hearts. It gives us someone to look up to, someone to rely on, someone to push you to your limits to help you grow. Where would we be without them?
“Thank you guys, you’re amazing, and there’s nothing I would do for my team or for my kids in my class, and I’m just honored and overwhelmed and you’ve touched my heart,” said Mrs. Gallo when I asked her if she had anything to say to her students. “This is great.”
For all you teachers reading this, I hope this makes your day and makes you realize that you are loved, appreciated, and recognized for all your hard work and dedication. Even if your name wasn’t mentioned in this article. Thank you for everything you have done for us students.
