Can you imagine what it would be like if teachers were treated like actors, athletes, singers, or even “reality tv “stars?” Wow!
Mrs.Smith, Celebrity Teacher
“Mrs.Smith, Mrs.Smith, can I get your autograph?” She turned and smiled brightly at the young woman running towards her.
“Mrs.Smith”, the young woman gasped, “I have been following your career for years! I’m about to start teaching myself, and I would be honored if you signed my copy of your book.”
“Are you ready to teach, young lady?’ she asked as she scribbled her signature, “This is a difficult job.”
“I know it is, but I’ve been reading your books,watching your videos, and listening to your podcasts, I know I’m ready!”
“Good luck”, she says as she handed her the book. “Take care, you have quite a journey ahead of you.”
Mrs.Smith and her husband entered the Four Seasons and were immediately seated at the best table. The maitre d’ smiled, and thanked Mrs.Smith, again, for teaching his son when she taught at Tower Hill.
“Anything you need Mr. and Mrs.Smith, just ask.”
After dinner, Mr. and Mrs.Smith hopped into their Mercedes and drove home to their ten bedroom house up in the hills. They entered their home, and stopped to pick up one of the cameras left by the crew from MTV Cribs-Teachers.
“Time to mark some papers honey, I’ll be upstairs in a bit.”
She sat down, stared out at the ocean, and began grading. The phone rang, and her assistant teacher, Marjorie spoke excitedly.
” Mrs. Smith, Oprah wants another interview, she’s doing another special on teachers, it’s called “Teachers are Tenacious!” She’s going to give away prizes to every school where the teachers in the audience work!”
“Oh, that Oprah, she is something else! Set it up please, Marjorie.”
She hung up and the phone rung again.
“Oh, my gosh, Mrs.Smith, you’ve been nominated for a Thackeray!” (Named after Sidney Poitier’s character in , “To Sir, With Love”)
“A Thackeray?! Are you kidding? Oh my gosh, I’ve always dreamed…! What category?”
” Best Lesson Taught During an Unannounced Observation.”
The Thackerays
As teachers walked down the red carpet, former students and teachers screamed their names. Reporters rushed up to interview each teacher as they strode down the carpet.
“Mrs.Smith, what are you wearing?”
She waved, “This is not about me, it’s about all those kids I’ve helped!”
And the Winner Is…
And the winner of the “Best Lesson Taught During an Unannounced Observation” is… Mrs.Smith!”
She ran on the stage, “First I’d like to thank God.” Next I want to thank all those students who gave me the opportunity to teach. I’d also like to thank my mentor teacher, Mr.Wilson. He made me the teacher I am today! And most of all, my Mom and Dad, who gave me the chance to go to college and become what I am today, a teacher!”
The applause filled the room, and everyone stood, chanting “Teachers, teachers, teachers!”
I know we all don’t need a Mercedes, a ten-bedroom home, to be filmed by MTV, or have an overrated awards show. But wouldn’t it be great if teachers were respected as much as actors, athletes, singers, and yes, even “reality” tv stars?
HAPPY TEACHER APPRECIATION!!!!
DIARY OF A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER 
Comments on: "If Teachers Were Treated Like Celebrities! A Short Story…2012 version" (4)
In January 2000, my wife and I traveled to China to adopt our daughter. One of the final steps in the adoption process was being interviewed by a panel of Chinese politicians questioning me (they only wanted to talk to the husband) on how I would parent.
There was another family adopting at the same time. The husband of that family went first. They asked how much he made (he was a nuclear engineer making more than 5 times my salary) and various parenting questions for about 30 minutes. Not once did they smile or talk among themselves. Then it was my turn. They asked me my name and what I did for a living. I told them I was a teacher. All of them immediately looked at each other with smiles, they stood up and told me that my daughter is a lucky child to have a father who is a teacher and that they were honored that a teacher wanted to adopt one of their children. That was the end of my interview – just two questions.
Even though I have been very fortunate to have taught in very supportive communities, that was the closest I have every felt like being a star. I wish our society respected teacher as much as the Chinese do.
I studied at NATA (National Academy of Teaching Arts), I appeared in off University classrooms, I read only a few of my essays (I have a PR assistant who replies to most of them), I won a Bloomer at the Academic Awards broadcast across the globe and I have understudied renowned theorists like de Bono.
However since then things have been rough, I have only been working on b-grade assignments, I have been typecast as a “nutty professor” and have third billing on the staff board.
Yet, one day I shall make my comeback 😉
Thanks Rupert!
This was so funny that I had to share it with some of my “teacher friends”. I smiled the whole way through and thought to myself, hmmmm…. could this happen in my lifetime? But the story came to an end, and so too did my thought. Oh well… maybe we are helping to pave the way for future “star” teachers!