Back-to-school season always brings a mix of excitement and reflection, especially in my family this year, as both of my daughters have just stepped into their own classrooms following in the footsteps of my father, who was a college professor, and my mother, who was a nursery school teacher.
One of my daughters teaches sixth and seventh grade in the Bronx, and the other is a librarian at Sidwell Friends School in Washington, D.C. Watching them prepare over the past few weeks has reminded me just how much teachers give of themselves. They are more than educators: They are mentors, advocates, problem-solvers and steady presences in the lives of young people. In many ways, they are also first responders for democracy—cultivating the next generation of citizens with the tools to think critically, engage openly and participate fully in civic life.
Asian Woman Leadership 