The Difference is You

Written by Terry Ann Williams-Richard
Copyright December 15, 2017

This poem was written as a special dedication to you, my gifted, committed, and hard-working colleagues. Thank you!

You make a difference daily in the lives of children and their families,
Your students are reading, writing, computing, and believing in possibilities.
Yes, they can meet and surpass the standards with each statement they recite,
Choosing, using, sharpening, and sharing the best learning tools with all their might.
You instill in them strong character and values leading to success in learning and life,
Even during the times when your efforts seem thankless, taxing, and met with strife.
Field trips, honors, parent conferences, smiles, laughter, and fun,
You accomplish great things and motivate others; your work is never done.
Keep doing what you do, recalling your dream of teaching since childhood,
Reaching and teaching, the highs and lows, it all works together for good.
Piles of papers to grade, engaging lesson plans you adjust in mid-sentence of instruction,
You play a vital role in the present and the future, even while you’re still under construction.
Yes, the DIFFERENCE is you…You are…
Dedicated
Inspiring
Fabulous
Fun
Enterprising
Resourceful
Energized
Necessary
Creative
Empowered!
With each step you take and every move you make there is joy,
Pray and reflect on the difference you make in the life of each girl and every boy.