A few weeks ago I heard someone say, “we can’t not be a model” when speaking of the teaching profession. Whether we realize it or not, whether we want to be or not, we are full-time models for students. Our words, our body language, our social media profile, our actions and even our inactions have many eyes.

Typically, we are deliberate in our words and actions when we stand in front of our classes. And yet sometimes, we are caught in moments of fatigue or frustration, or we might become more casual or inadvertent as we speak to our colleagues in the hallway. It doesn’t hurt to remember that many eyes are watching.

The joy of this profession is the tremendous influence we have on our students. And perhaps this is the burden, too. Kids and parents hold us to high standards. As they should.

“Children are great imitators so give them something great to imitate.” Anonymous