To many students, a teacher is forever their teacher, no matter how old or successful they become.
This was a reminder I had when I was blessed enough to be invited to speak with the Poplar Bluff School District in Missouri recently. They were such a warm and welcoming group, and I really enjoyed my day with them.
From that moment I walked in, I was warmly greeted, and before I entered the gym to prepare for my keynote, I noticed the jersey of NBA player Tyler Hansbrough on the wall.
Being the huge basketball fan that I am, I immediately asked whether he attended this high school, and you could see the pride on the staff’s faces when it was confirmed.
I shared that excitement with the entire group in my opening remarks, as growing up in a small town in Canada, it is way more likely you would know a professional hockey player than someone who played in the NBA.
Immediately following my talk, a teacher came up to me and said, “Would you like to FaceTime Tyler?”
I am thinking, “This is an option?!?!”
Although I was excited about the opportunity, I told her that she didn’t have to do that because I didn’t want to inconvenience them. She ignored me, and a few moments later came up to me with her phone, and we were chatting.
Not only did he have a career in the NBA, but he also had an illustrious college career and was known for his incredible work ethic. Being someone with zero athletic ability but unlimited determination, this is the type of player who resonates with me. I shared that with him, and he credited the school with instilling that into his personality, which is an incredible endorsement of the culture.
Acting like I was 12 years old, he was incredibly polite and kind to me, and thanked me for spending my time with his community. He was definitely impressive in that moment, taking the time to talk to a stranger who happened to be a huge basketball fan, but that wasn’t what impressed me the most. It was what he did when he had no idea I was looking.
His teacher took the phone back and said, “Thank you, Tyler, for doing that!” to which he replied, “No problem, Miss Patillo.”
My jaw dropped.
This is a 40-year-old former NBA player and 2008 NCAA Men’s Basketball Player of the Year, and he was referring to his former teacher by “Miss.” It was both sweet and incredibly respectful. But it also reminded me that I still can’t call my former teachers by their first names because of the respect I owe them for all they did for me. My kindergarten teacher will always be “Mrs. Stock”, our elementary custodian will always be “Mr. Rohrke,” and my high school football coach will always be “Coach Hobbs,” amongst the many staff that I would never refer to by their first name. I might be old school, but that is a sign of my respect for them, and it was emulated by this incredibly successful person from another community.
In “Forward, Together,” I was blessed to have Dr. Rachel Edoho-Eket write the foreword, and I was reminded of her words, witnessing what she shared while I was in Poplar Bluff:
“At the heart of this book is a deep belief in community. A special kind of community that makes schools not just places where students go but spaces where families feel welcomed, cultures are celebrated, and everyone plays a role in creating something meaningful. That kind of community doesn’t happen by accident. It happens when school leaders are intentional about inviting others in, sharing ownership, and building a culture rooted in respect and belonging.”
That “respect and belonging” Rachel so eloquently refers to is not just something only the students should feel. Mr. Hansbrough knew he was appreciated for his accolades, but they came in part because he was raised in a community that cultivated his gifts. You could tell he still greatly appreciated what was instilled in him.
But that “respect and belonging” that Dr. Edoho-Eket refers to is something staff should feel as well.
I sensed immense pride in Miss Patillo when she spoke to her former student, and she knew she could reach out to him, and that he, to this day, treated her with great respect for her support. It is not just the kids in schools who want to have an impact on the world. It is the staff who do everything to ensure students have an impact on them and to spread their talents to influence others. It was wonderful to see her treated with respect and a deep appreciation.
Witnessing this moment was a wonderful reminder that when schools build cultures rooted in respect and belonging, their impact echoes far beyond the classroom and across a lifetime.
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