Teachers have been heralded in the press recently for saving the lives of their students during a fierce tornado in Oklahoma. Stories of teachers huddled over small children protecting them from debris and harm have been ubiquitous. To think that teachers have also been blamed for low student achievement and the decline in our educational system has me baffled.

I began my involvement in education as a parent volunteer in my son’s second grade class. It was there, in the fall of 1993, that I was privileged to have made the acquaintance of Mrs. Carol Vogler. My children had attended a private school prior to that fall, so we were beginning our association with the public school system.

I volunteered one morning each week in Mrs. Vogler’s class that year. She would challenge me with the creation of bulletin boards, something that I have yet to master. I would grade papers, and sometimes if I was really lucky, I would tutor struggling young students with math and reading. Mrs. Vogler was always coming up with new strategies for me to use when I worked with these students. She was most concerned that all of her students were successful. I was impressed with her dedication to teaching.

But what most impressed me was my son’s reaction to this new teacher. She made him laugh, and she met him each day with new challenges. For instruction in fractions, the students prepared a recipe in class. Timmy was so proud to help measure the ingredients. Of course, we had to recreate the dish at home so that the entire family could sample what the second grade had made.

Timmy wanted to go to school. He wanted to share with Mrs. Vogler what we had done over the weekend. She inspired him to read and to do his best. Timmy even agreed to play the role of Abraham Lincoln in a class skit. We were challenged to create his costume and were thrilled with the class performance.

Mrs. Vogler made holidays special, hugged when there were boo-boos on the playground, and was always encouraging the second graders to do their very best. She embodied the qualities of a true professional and a dedicated teacher. It was evident that she loved her job and that her students loved her.

We’ve all had a special teacher, the one who inspired us. Many of us have been fortunate to have had many teachers like Mrs. Vogler. Those who enter the teaching profession are called to do so. They love what they are doing, and they love our kids, so much so that they risk their lives for them. A society that values its children must also value its education system and its teachers.

Make some time this week to thank a teacher, and better yet, contact your legislators and let them know how much you value teachers.

Lois Jarman writes from Knoxville. She teaches in the Frederick County Public Schools and at Shepherd University, and has a blog, Mom’s Ponderings, at http://momsponderings.blogspot.com.