I was a substitute teacher for a year and a half after college. It is one of the best experiences I could have ever imagined for preparing me for a career in education. One thing I learned during that time was how important other teachers would be in my life. We learn from each other.

One of the best places to learn about a school’s culture is in the teacher lunch room. It was tempting to sit at the desk in the classroom and eat lunch by myself while grading papers or looking over afternoon lesson plans. However, I decided early on that I needed to eat lunch with other teachers to learn all I could from them. I didn’t know at the time that it was helping to acculturate me to the profession.

They shared things like how to remove gum from classroom furniture. They told me the best place to get banners for bulletin boards. They explained ways to identify lice in the environment, my hair, and children’s hair.

The things I have learned from my fellow educators is a treasure trove of information that are best found in the daily interactions that make up our working lives.

Thank you, teacher friends. I think the world of you.