Pango Celebrates Teachers
published by Renee Powers, August 29, 2024

While students venture back to school this fall, we want to take a moment to recognize all the teachers who work diligently to prepare for the new school year. 

Teachers are the ordinary heroes who mold young minds and provide a safe environment for exploring knowledge. If you have a teacher in your life, you know they often stay up late, work weekends, and use their own funds to supplement their classroom supplies, all in service of providing an exceptional education for other people’s children. They are truly remarkable humans!

We asked our Pango team to share some thoughts on the teachers that impacted them. Here’s what they had to say:

I'll always remember my 2nd grade teacher, Mrs. Wong. When I moved to a new school, she made me feel so welcome and created such a fun learning environment. She encouraged us to pick out a new book each week and introduced us to creative art activities, which led me to discover hobbies I still love today! 

-Isabella, UX Engineer

My high school enrichment teacher, Mrs. Bland, had very high expectations, boundless energy, and so much heart for all her students. As a teenager, I resented how hard she pushed us and how nothing ever felt good enough. As an adult, I appreciate how ambitious she was for me and am really grateful that she never let me settle.

-Esther, Social Media & Marketing Coordinator

My 7th grade math teacher, Mrs. Hall, was the first math teacher I had who really pushed us to show our work, break down steps, and support the answers we reached. While that might seem like a small thing, I followed her methods throughout the rest of my education, and it helped me become more meticulous and organized in all of my classes and across all subjects.

-Vanessa, Customer Experience Specialist

Renee: What has been the most rewarding part of being a teacher for so long?
Ms. Brown: I love seeing a child master a skill that they once struggled with. It’s also rewarding to feel the love I receive from my students. The best is when a former student returns to the school to enroll their child in my class!

Renee: You’ve been lucky enough to watch your young students grow up into adults, with young kids of their own! What advice can you share for parents sending their kids to school for the first time?
Ms. Brown: At home, talk positively about school. Don’t say you will miss them (even if it’s true!). Try to meet the teacher before the first day of school. Most schools have an open house and it should be a priority for the whole family. See the classroom and let them get comfortable with the idea of school. And if they cry the first day, just walk away and let the teacher handle it.

Renee: Teaching is a tough profession, not just for those first day tears! What advice do you have for new teachers?

Ms. Brown: Be patient. Every child is different.

Renee: You instilled a lifelong love of reading in me, so let’s talk about books! What books do you think every preschool classroom should have and why?

Ms. Brown: Anything by Eric Carle. His books are educational and beautifully illustrated. Every child loves Eric Carle! Classrooms should also have nature books and science books. These books expand students’ thinking.

Renee: We love educational books! What kind of books do your students tend to enjoy the most? 

Ms. Brown: Books that make them laugh are always a big hit. For example, my students love the silliness of The Big Wide-Mouthed Frog by Anna Martin Larrañaga.

Renee: Some of my favorite books are the ones we read together when I was younger. I’ll always have a soft spot in my heart for the Little House on the Prairie series and, of course, Clifford the Big Red Dog. What memories do you have of the two of us reading together?

Ms. Brown: I smile when I think of our nights snuggled in your bed as I read to you. Those are the BEST memories! I miss those days!

Thanks, Mom, for your time and your service to your students! They are so lucky to have you.

To all our teachers in the Pango community: thank you for all that you do for young people.

Your lasting impact can truly change the world.

Explore similar content on Pango:

• How to Build a Classroom Library on a Budget
• Learn How to Pango with These Teacher Sellers
• The Bestselling Kids' Books of 2024... So Far
• How to Get Stellar Book Recommendations for Kids
• Award-Winning Picture Books to Read to Your Kids
• The Best Nonfiction Science Books for Kids
• Meet Aspire Books: A class project teaching students life skills through book sales