Commentary: Teachers give more than they get, and they keep giving in retirement

I love teachers.

I love the old ones, the middle-aged ones and the young ones.

I love them fat, skinny, tall or short. I love them whatever color they are. I love the ones with good personalities and those with the not-so-great personalities. I love them, even though I may not like them. I think they are brave, good-hearted, kind, inventive and forgiving. And most of all, I love that they love kids.

Oh, you might not realize it when you meet them, see them or hear them. They might come off as cynical or whiny, but the fact that they show up every day, year after year, not knowing exactly what their job will be, not knowing where their class will be, not knowing who their students will be speaks volumes about their dedication.

They also never know whether they will have the right materials to work with, what ridiculous thing they might be asked to do, what new and glorious program (that some administrator has thought up to make himself look good) they will have to implement. They realize they may not be valued by the administration, the parents and society in general, and yet they walk into that classroom with intent.

They don’t hang in with large classroom sizes and an uncertain future for the money, working conditions or respect. I love them for it.

I particularly love retired teachers. Old teachers never die. They just volunteer for kids.

The Newport-Mesa Unified School District has it’s share of these fabulous people:

• Pat McLaughlin volunteers at Pomona and Mariners elementary schools and reads to a first-grade class every week.

• Bari Boren volunteers in her granddaughter’s first-grade class.

• Ginny McEvoy goes to College Park Elementary School once a week to volunteer.

• Barbara Harrington is the president of the Newport-Mesa Schools Foundation.

• Glenda Munson has roped her newly retired husband into volunteering at her granddaughter’s school in Tustin.

• Suky Reilly works in a second-grade class one morning a week.

• Jan Fisher helps her daughter, Liz Slezak, one morning a week, teaching writing.

• Kathy Teal volunteers at Victoria Elementary School one morning a week with her former teaching partner.

• Dave Brees has served on the district’s benefits committee for a long time and started a program with a school in Australia that continues today.

• Bonnie Coyne participates in the BARK program at Paularino Elementary School with her 10-year-old Newfoundland dog.

• Lynda Zussman volunteers and conducts authentic-self workshops at Orangewood Children’s Home for teens.

• And Michael DiDonato teaches kids to make and play ukuleles.

These retired teachers are but a few who volunteer their precious time for kids. Teachers, both retired and active, deserve our respect, understanding and, yes, our love. It’s time.

SANDY ASPER lives in Newport Beach.