Congratulations! I was Teacher of the Month for my district two months before I retired, but better late than never, I guess.
I hope this doesn't come across as being cynical, but my experience has led me to view these awards with some skepticism. It all began when I accepted an AP position at a "model" middle school that received many accolades for its programs. The principal was the recipient of an Administrator of the Year award - shortly thereafter, he resigned due to allegations of sexual harassment. In another district, each principal would select one teacher from their school to receive an annual Outstanding Teacher awards at a special ceremony - I noticed that the recipients were always teachers who were chummy with their administrators (part of the inner circle). It became so predictable that I would try to guess who would be next. One year, the recipient for this prestigious award went to a first-year teacher who taught a poorly-managed ED class - ironically, her experience was so stressful that she didn't return the following year. Maybe they were hoping the award would help to keep her on the job. Hmmm, I once read that it takes an average of five years for a teacher to become adept at the trade. Of course, my low opinion of these awards is probably tainted by the fact that I never received any recognition from my superiors throughout my entire 33-year career. I'm just guessing that it must be exciting to receive an award of any kind, well-deserved or not. Mrs. K is right, better late than never.
