Introduction to the Teacher Appreciation Mailbox
It’s undeniable that the current administration is not looking out for public school teachers (or most people for that matter). And as someone who got through high school primarily because of a few teachers who decided I was worth rooting for, eating lunch with, friending on Facebook and consequently forcing me to talk to the guidance counselor because of a slightly concerning post, and staying in touch with after 7 years, I’m taking the initiative to begin this project to express my appreciation, and provide others with an outlet to do so as well.
I’m now officially taking submissions for the Teacher Appreciation Mailbox. Write a letter (or two or five or 30) to your favorite teachers, the ones who you cried to or laughed with or who taught you the definition of celerity by telling you to imagine a celery stick running (celerity (noun): swiftness of movement). Doesn’t matter how long it is, or what year you had them, doesn’t matter if the person you’re writing to is still alive, doesn’t matter if most of it is actually kind of cruel but it ends with an apology and a verse or two of To Sir with Love. Just speak from the heart and tell them to hang in there. (Also fair game is writing to a general audience of teachers, writing your letter anonymously, and writing to a group of teachers from your school without naming names.) It’s all up to you. Just working as the gatekeeper.
The letters will be posted on this Medium page and hopefully the collection will get unwieldy and full of beautiful words that make us weep. I’ll keep you all updated through a very infrequent newsletter.
Send questions, and letters to sdweiser@gmail.com. And please spread the word.
Questions:
- Will you edit my work? Nope.
- Does this count as getting published? Depends who’s asking.
- Will contributors be paid? Hahahahahahahahahaha. No.
- Wait so is this a literary journal? No it’s not. It’s a crowdsourced project.
- What do you do? I’m merely the gatekeeper who keeps out the angry trolls.
