A Letter to Our Childhood & Modern–Day Heroes
At Mystery Science, we are working to make great explanations that help inspire children to keep asking questions. But we know that you experience the what’s thats, the how comes, and the why nots on a daily basis. We were once the ones with juice-stained fingers and endless questions too. (Some of us still are.)
We remember our childhood teachers well and how they helped us become who we are today. They patiently listened to our questions, sat with us until we “got it,” created spaces where creativity could grow, and spent late nights thinking about how to give us a better future. And that’s why we, as a team, wanted to write you a letter to say thank you.
Thank you for taking a question and turning it into a lifetime of discovery.
“My science teacher Mr. Bauer’s teaching philosophy is best summed up by a quote in his email signature: ‘If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the men and women to gather wood, divide the work, and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea.’ Mr. Bauer didn’t merely teach his students science – he inspired in them a passion for learning it.”
— Jared, Software Engineer, Growth
“One of my favorite teachers, Herr Großkopf, taught nature studies and took us on walks in parks, to look at plants and animals, to draw them, and to take some home to press and dry. He’s the teacher who encouraged us to observe and admire the beauty around us and who kept us excited about learning!”
— Heike, VP of Communications
Thank you for helping us love learning – even when we thought we hated it.
“In the first decade of my K-12 education, I was convinced that I was a horrible writer, and I dreaded writing assignments. Mr. Mathwin, my 10th-grade journalism teacher, showed me that writing didn’t have to be a chore; it could be expressive, expository, informative, and best of all – fun. He was tough about the mechanics of grammar, pushed us to find our voices, and encouraged us to get published. I am forever grateful to Mr. Mathwin!”
— Varun, Director of Product
“Mr. Gianetti was the first teacher who was able to help me not feel bad at math because he explained it more than one way. He had so many different ways of explaining one concept that I actually became good at math. He helped me understand. It was bigger than that – he made me realize that if you don’t get it one way, there’s always another way to understand something.”
— Anita, Customer Experience Specialist
Thank you for being innovators, pioneers, and creatives in your work.
“It's hard for me to put myself in a teacher’s shoes. The landscape has changed so much since I went through the early childhood education system. Children now have iPhones, iPads, and gaming consoles at home that hold more computing power than Apollo 11 . . . In this era, the challenge of mixing technology with older curriculum and needing to nurture and build the curiosity of children (aka the future) is as inspiring as it gets.”
— Bill, Lead Recruiter
“I don’t think I truly appreciated the mountain of expectations on teachers until I became one. You’re not just a teacher; you’re at times a guidance counselor, a therapist, a friend, a nutritionist, a coach, a mentor and, yes, a teacher too. Now, in the time of school closures and stay-at-home orders, teachers have had to adapt to remote learning really quickly – and have really stepped up to the challenge! I’m inspired by the constant flexibility and brilliant tenacity of teachers today.”
— Varun, Director of Product
Thank you for seeing potential in us that we didn’t know was there.
“Mrs. Malia was the strictest teacher but also the kindest. It was one of the first times in my life that I discovered this paradox – that someone could demand more of you and yet believe in you relentlessly. She pushed me to not just memorize or get the right answer, but to learn and develop a love of learning. She took the most mundane things and helped me see that they could be extraordinary if I just looked at them differently.”
— Patreeya, People Operations & Culture
“What inspires me most about teachers is not only do they have a profound impact on their students, but also a ripple effect on everyone their students grow up to serve. Everyone has a story about a teacher who set them on the path to becoming who they are today. For every advancement in science and technology, every great work of art or literature, we can be certain it’s at least partially thanks to a teacher who inspired a student to become more than they thought they could be.”
— Jared, Software Engineer, Growth
Thank you for going above and beyond to create safe spaces for us to learn.
“My 3rd grade teacher, Ms. B, would open her doors at lunchtime to a rag-tag crew of middle graders who preferred to take care of the class turtle and trade collectible stickers out of our Kit Caboodles than be out on the blacktop. [Pretty sure I am dating myself so hard with this reference.]”
— Paula, Program Manager, Operations
“When I think of Mrs. Harrison’s classroom, I think of rarely being at our desks because we were spread out all over doing group work or working on the floor. When I think of her classroom, I think of a really collaborative, happy environment when we were all working together.”
— Polly, District Partnership Manager
“The teachers in Canada were terrific and made a significant impact on my life. My ESL teacher was gentle and encouraging, and she lent me her mittens when I came to school without any. Another teacher once drove me home after a school event because she was worried that it was too dark. Teachers are simply amazing.”
— Ahmed, Senior Software Engineer
We can’t say it enough.
“Thank you for your work! All of us non- or former teachers are constantly inspired by your dedication. Thank you for all that you do!”
“Thank you. THANK YOU. It’s not easy, and you keep doing it because it’s the right thing to do, not because there’s always instant gratification. So just a big thank you, and keep on doing what you’re doing.”
“I don’t know if there are enough thanks anyone could ever give to teachers. They work so much to foster curiosity of the world around us. It’s an important job and I am so glad they’re here.”
“Teaching seems like so many jobs rolled up into one and it never ceases to amaze me how much you all do. Thank you for preparing the next generation to be thoughtful and caring young adults!”
