Thank You, Teacher : Grateful Students Tell the Stories of the Teachers Who Changed Their Lives

"What do rock stars, Nobel laureates, bestselling novelists, astronauts, and attorneys have in common? A teacher changed their lives. Like them, most of us can name a teacher who gave us not only good instruction but also confidence and drive. But, in the face of teachers being blamed for a variety of social and economic woes, teachers themselves can easily wonder whether they are making a difference in students lives. When veteran teacher Bruce Holbert asked himself this question, his wife, Holly, responded by sending letters to hundreds of people she had never met and had no reason to believe would respond, asking about teachers who mattered to them. She was overwhelmed by answers. Thank You, Teacher presents more than eighty of these up-close-and-personal stories. By a delightfully diverse range of contributors, these essays are wise and witty testaments to the teachers who do what they do every day without expecting recognition, but who so richly deserve it." -- Dust jacket In 1993, when actor Tom Hanks received arguably the highest honor in his profession a Best Actor Oscar he thanked his high school drama teacher. Many can also name a teacher who gave them not only good instruction but also confidence and drive