School has already started in Kentucky and will begin in a few days in West Virginia and other states.

There is no doubt that teachers are underappreciated and underpaid.

On a daily basis, they not only educate our children and grandchildren but also influence them in so many ways.

If you think about it, they probably spend more time with our kids than many family members. Throw in coaching and other extracurricular activities and they are with the youngsters for hours every week.

I can remember every teacher I had from first grade through eighth grade at the old Nolan Grade School and the one year I spent as a freshman at Chattaroy Junior High School. This was long before consolidation when Mingo County had many more schools.

From there, I went to Williamson High School and then Southern West Virginia Community College and then finished my bachelor’s degree at Bluefield State. I can also remember most of my teachers, instructors and professors during those years.

Of course, when I went to grade school and my middle school years, things were quite different from what they are now. Teachers were respected just like any adult or authority figure.

They could also still paddle students back then for discipline, but of course that is now abolished. (I wonder if it might still be good to have that in the classroom, but that is a topic for another column.)

I later realized how much influence many of them had on my life and education. Many of the things they taught me and others we still use today. Not only classroom work but also things they taught us about life and other determinants they had on our lives.

I also spent some time as a substitute teacher in Mingo County and realized how difficult a job it really can be.

You have to manage a classroom, make lesson plans, teach the classes, give tests, keep up with grades, be a disciplinarian, and try to handle each individually because of personalities or age groups.

Not only should we appreciate and thank teachers but also principals, support staff like cooks, custodians and bus drivers, and of course coaches.

These people had a big effect on our lives and still do with our children and grandchildren.

It is a tough job and unless you have performed these duties or know a few teachers, you do not fully appreciate what they do for our children’s overall development every day.

I am sure if you think about it, you will realize how certain instructors taught you things you still use today. They taught you to read, write, do math, learn history, geography and so much more. We were also taught typing, maybe a foreign language and other elective classes.

Then there are the vocational teachers who teach skills that students can use in future occupations if they so choose. Or maybe get them a start in certain fields where they can get more training and good-paying jobs.

A teacher’s pay is not as good as some might think – at least not in our region. West Virginia ranks around the bottom of the 50 states; Kentucky is just a few spots ahead at around 40th in the nation.

Teaching in rural communities is different from that in larger urban areas. With the invention of the internet, computers in the classroom and other modern technology, things have changed somewhat.

But still it has to be different for instructors in places like Appalachia and other rural areas. So those classroom teachers may even have a tougher job than some in other parts of the country.

Teachers can teach culture, relate personal experiences that might help their students, they can assist social workers when necessary and do so much more than just curriculum in the classroom.

People may never know what is going on at home with some students. But those who may recognize there is an issue are the ones who see them about every day – their teachers.

So thank a teacher and give them the credit they deserve. They are responsible for our youth and helping with the foundation of their futures.

I’ll end with this Mark Twain quote.

“It is noble to teach oneself; it is still nobler to teach others.”

Until next time.

(Kyle Lovern is a longtime journalist in the Tug Valley. He is now a retired freelance writer and columnist for the Mountain Citizen.)