A quick note from Matt

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A quick note from me …

I see you.

For all of the extra work you do. You know, the work that no one would ever realize if you didn’t do it, but you did it anyway. Because it mattered. For the sake of your students … or your teachers … or people you care about.

You did that extra work because it would benefit someone outside of yourself.

I see you.

For the early mornings. For the extra 30 minutes after school … or extra hour … or the hours you don’t even want to count up at the end of the week.

For the time that isn’t mandated in your contract …

… but it’s mandated in your mind and heart because of the impact it’ll have.

I see you.

For that tough conversation. Or the uncomfortable but necessary conversation with a student. That conversation that would be easier if you just let it slide.

But you didn’t. Someone had to step up. And you did. No one might ever know or tell you “thank you.” But you had to. You needed to.

I see you.

The work of an educator never seems to be done. It’s thankless. Tiresome.

But it’s important. Meaningful. Rewarding. Impactful.

We get to make a difference in students’ lives — even the little moments that seem insignificant, when we don’t even realize we’re doing it.

I see you.

This Thanksgiving, I’m thankful for YOU. In those meaningful, impactful moments, you’re changing your students for the better. And every time you do that, you’re changing the world little by little.

Thank you for all that you do. Your students, your community, your city, your state, your country, the world … we all benefit.

Thank you.

If you’re looking for some Ditch That Textbook content, here are a few things you can check out …

• 🤖 Our new AI for Admins community is growing quickly! In just a couple days, it’s over 800 members. There’s already a great discussion about school/district AI policies with people posting links to theirs. This group is for any educator who’s helping to lead discussions and decisions about AI for their school or district. You can join for free here.

• 🎧 We have a new Ditch That Textbook podcast! It’s where you can get the whole week’s worth of email newsletter content in one show — with extra resources and commentary. Last week’s show was packed! You can listen here. Or just check out the extensive show notes with details and links for everything we discussed. Just click “See more” on episode 190.

• 👕 We have a merch store now! I just opened it yesterday. I finally found a way to make my “AI is my new teaching assistant” t-shirts available. There are three other fun designs, too. (I’m partial to the “Maverick Teacher” t-shirt.) You can check it out here.