Dear Reader,

Last week, I had a doctor’s appointment—the kind where you’re in there a little too long, poked a little too much, and by the end you feel less like a person and more like a science experiment.

So I said that to her. “I feel like a science experiment.”

She smiled and said, “Well, you kind of are. Because no matter how much science we have, we never fully know how it’ll affect each individual. People are complex. It’s a science-informed art. And the longer we practice, the better we get at it.”

And without missing a beat, I said, “That’s just like teaching.”

Because it is.

We lean on pedagogy, brain science, and best practices. We make intentional decisions based on research—sometimes research we hunted down ourselves at 11 p.m. while eating cold pasta over a stack of ungraded quizzes.

But every student is different.

Teaching isn’t just implementation—it’s interpretation.
It’s a science-informed art; one we get better at the longer we practice.

That conversation stayed with me.

And then it hit me—teaching and medicine share more than just complexity. They share a system problem.

Because in both fields, we have highly trained professionals doing sacred, high-stakes work... and yet their voices are often the last ones considered when decisions are made.

In healthcare, it’s insurance and pharmaceutical companies telling doctors what treatments they can offer—whether or not it’s what their patients need.

In education, it’s tech companies, curriculum publishers, and policymakers shaping classroom decisions—while the teachers doing the work are asked to stay quiet and stay in line.

So what happens?

Teachers teach in spite of the system.
Doctors care for patients in spite of the red tape.

And it makes you wonder: how much better could both systems be if we actually trusted the people doing the work?

This Teacher Appreciation Week, I want to say this clearly:

If you’ve ever broken a rule to meet a student’s need...
If you’ve ever rewritten a lesson to actually work for your learners...
If you’ve ever advocated, intervened, pushed back, or quietly resisted in the name of what’s best for kids—

You’re not “just a teacher.” You are a professional doing expert-level work in a flawed system.

And your wisdom, your discernment, your ability to teach beautifully in spite of it all?

That’s worth appreciating every single week.

From my full heart—thank you.

As a parent, I see what you do for our kids.
As a fellow teacher, I feel what it costs—and what it gives back.

The ways you adapt, advocate, uplift, challenge, comfort, innovate, protect, and pour into students?
They don’t go unnoticed.

This week, in honor of you—and because appreciation should be felt, not just said—I’m offering a gift:

Use code APPRECIATION at checkout to get $37 off:

• The T2E Bootcamp → just $10 (regularly $47)
• Or the Intro to Private Practice Teaching Course → completely free

Because you deserve more than muffins in the lounge.
You deserve real tools to help you build a life and career that reflects your brilliance.

Happy Teacher Appreciation Week. I see you. I celebrate you. And I’m rooting for you—always.

With love, respect, and appreciation always,

Rachel

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