In my classroom, I often tell my students that our bodies are brilliantly and wonderfully made. I point out that we have two ears and only one mouth because we listen better when our mouths are closed. My students have embraced this, and you can often hear them reminding one another: We learn when we listen.
This same lesson has applied to my year of service as the National Teacher of the Year, perhaps no more than with my cohort of 2024 State Teachers of the Year who have daily inspired me and given me hope. As the Tennessee State Teacher of the Year, I became part of the 2024 cohort of State Teachers of the Year, a group of 56 fierce advocates for students and the education profession. From group chats to a White House State Dinner to Space Camp and more, these teachers inspire me and give me hope. They have also reminded me that listening is learning.
I was reminded of what it means to not only represent teachers and students but also my community when I ran into a longtime resident of my hometown, Rogersville, Tennessee, at the grocery store just after being named 2024 National Teacher of the Year.
“I am excited to see you up in that White House — the people’s house — and I cannot wait to hear them say Rogersville, Tennessee,” she said. “Imagine that, little old Rogersville, Tennessee, spoken in the White House.” That day, I learned I would be carrying my hometown with me wherever I went.
I will always be humbled and honored to belong to Rogersville.
Missy speaks at the White House State Dinner for the 2024 State Teachers of the Year. (Official White House Photo by Erin Scott)
Missy and the 2024 State Teachers of the Year Cohort at Space Camp.
At an event early in my year of service, a teacher reminded me that teacher voices are brave and need to be nurtured. I met a teacher who shared that her district’s English learners were not receiving the support they needed to succeed and I encouraged her to research her state’s policies and then have a conversation with her principal.
Recently, I opened an email from that same teacher. She shared that she had found the courage to inform not only her principal but also her district leaders. She reported that her students were now thriving, and she finally understood the importance of her role as an advocate.
One of the greatest joys this year has been meeting students from across the country who are choosing teaching as their profession. In every region I visited, I met young people who are eager to shape lives, build communities and stand up for what’s right in our schools. Their passion and clarity of purpose give me immense hope for the future.
After I spoke to aspiring educators in Maryland this spring, a young lady approached me and exclaimed, “I loved your stories. I can’t wait to be a teacher!” Her excitement was palpable and her energy contagious. She taught me that we veteran teachers can also learn from the newest members of our profession.
I also learned that everyone has a story about a teacher, regardless of the profession. On a flight from Houston to Nashville, a young doctor from Bolivia, en route to begin a job as a pediatric cardiology surgeon, told me about his third grade teacher who rode a burro to his home each day to teach him after he developed pericarditis, an infection of the heart lining preventing him from attending school. This devoted teacher braved all types of obstacles to reach his student, but he showed up day after day.
This young physician said he wanted to pay that kindness forward by becoming a teacher, but his village already had two. So he chose the next best thing: helping children’s physical hearts while teachers cared for their figurative ones.
His words left me speechless. As teachers, we hold students’ figurative hearts in our hands every day. Let us always remember to wield that power with grace, justice and humility.
What teachers do day in and day out is crucial. It is vital for our students’ success, and it is important for our country’s prosperity. Teachers make all other professions possible. That responsibility carries a lot of weight, but even the most dedicated teachers must remember that we also have another identity: the roles we serve outside of school.
The most profound lesson I learned, though, is one I already knew: Teachers leave legacies that outlive them.
Missy waves to the crowd as grand marshal of the Rogersville July 4th parade. (Photo Credit: Dawn Helton)
Missy and her students in Rogersville.
Missy and her family in the Oval Office with President Joe Biden. (Photo courtesy of The White House)
Our students will remember how we made them feel long after they leave our classrooms. When we listen to learn, we’re shaping stories every day. Let’s make them good ones. As my official time as the National Teacher of the Year winds down, this adage comes to mind: All good things must come to an end. I have loved every minute of this immense opportunity. As long as I live, I will always be thankful, humble and forever blessed.
I will be continuing to teach, albeit in a much larger classroom, as I join the staff at the National Center for Grow Your Own. This organization is committed to creating a world where an aspiring educator can become a teacher for free and get paid to do so. It’s an exciting next chapter that reminds me we can all use some extra grace and humility — the kind I received a lot of this year.
Sarah Brown Wessling and the incredible staff at CCSSO, including Sana-Alyse Muhammad, Jasmine Estes and Janice Hernandez, helped me transition into what’s lovingly called the NTOY-verse in a way that highlighted my strengths rather than focusing on any deficits. I learned something in every conversation with them, yet they always made me feel like I was the one offering wisdom. Perhaps the greatest lesson they taught me was that being surrounded by people you trust is crucial to your confidence and your sanity.
Past National Teachers of the Year Rodney Robinson, Kurt Russell, Rebecka Peterson and Juliana Urtubey ensured that there were listening ears and words of affirmation at the very moments I needed them. I am excited to do the same for Ashlie Crosson, the 2025 National Teacher of the Year. Ashlie is proof that teaching is not just a job; it is a calling to help students create successful futures.
When I spoke at the White House last spring, I said most people in Rogersville know me as Mrs. Testerman from Rogersville City School, but my greatest titles will always be “David’s wife” and “Andrew’s and Caroline’s mom.”
This year I was fortunate to meet new people and visit new places. Sometimes, however, I longed for the faces I know best. When I was tired, weary, hungry or homesick, I made the same call every time: to my husband, David. No matter my mood, he was my support, my solace and my steady guide. He encouraged me when I needed assurance and listened patiently, even with so many added responsibilities during my absence. I don’t know what I did to deserve him, but it must have been something pretty great.
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You can continue to follow my professional journey on Instagram or X. You can contact me through my website at missytesterman.com.
