Celebrate our teachers of today in our schools. They are attuned to the importance of the development of positive self-esteem for all students. The sad situation described by Pastor Mark Mullins in his column (“The world needs love most of all,” Thursday, Feb. 11) has not been allowed to occur anymore.

No longer does a student experience having an almost empty Valentine’s Day envelope. Meticulously, teachers provide each student a roster of the names of their classmates for whom each one dedicates a valentine for their envelopes. Celebrate.

As well, on St. Patrick’s Day, migrant/ESL/ELL students that are oblivious to the practice of wearing something green on that day are spared from being pinched by culture-aware teachers. I was one of those teachers that had small pieces of green poster board paper and straight pins.

At the beginning of St. Patrick’s Day, I pinned a piece of green on the outfit of the unknowing student and with smiles explain the silly practice. As well, I have pinned a piece of green on other nonmigrant/ESL/ELL students that have forgotten that it’s St. Patrick’s Day. 

Zenaida M. Lyles

Pendleton