Academy of Distinguished Teachers Induction Ceremony

I appreciate this chance to congratulate and thank tonight’s inductees into the Academy of Distinguished Teachers.

I want to salute the Board of Regents for their support of great teaching, and thank Vice Chancellor Reyes and his team for all the vision and hard work that went into creating this Academy.

I would also like to take a moment and congratulate and thank Doctors Brent Iverson and Beth Brunk-Chavez – the driving forces behind The Little Orange Book, Short Lessons in Excellent Teaching – and all of the Academy members who contributed chapters.

I read the whole thing, and found it enlightening and inspiring – from start to finish.

In fact, let me say something about the finish – specifically, the end of the wonderful poem written by Dr. James Vick, which reads “I walk the path my parents chose. I pass the torch, I teach.”

That passage resonated with me because my mother was a teacher. So from a very young age, I understood the importance and the nobility of the profession. 

In my eyes, then and now, spending your time and energy on other people, sharing your talents and expertise with them so that they might improve their minds and their lives, makes you a hero. 

My mother was one of my two heroes – the other one being my father, who also taught me – through his words and his deeds – how important it was to get a good education. 

My dad spent 26 years in the Air Force, and when he left the military, he went back to school. It wasn’t easy. 

He had a job and a family to support, but he wanted his degree and when he finally got it, in his late 40s, he decided he wasn’t done. So he kept going and eventually earned a master’s degree too.

My parents passed the torch of education on to me, and now of course it’s up to me – and to everyone in this room – to pass it on as well.

As I read the Little Orange Book’s lessons in excellent teaching, time and again I was reminded of principles I learned during my military career. Principles like: Don’t be afraid to fail. Failure has been one of my greatest teachers over the years, and as Dr. Patrick Davis writes, we all make mistakes, and we should never waste a disaster by not learning from it.

Another lesson I have learned repeatedly:  Doubt is good.  Dr. Michael Starbird said it better than I can, so I’ll just quote him, “People who say that they are 100% certain of any opinion might as well be saying that they are closed-minded and no amount of evidence will penetrate the concrete.”

If you have doubt, that means you’re asking questions, and we want our students, and our faculty, to question everything.

One of my favorite pages of the book, page 125, contains just 12 words – “students will rise to the level of your expectations; set them high.” 

That sentiment, of course, doesn’t just apply to students. So I’d like to say just a few words about my expectations of our Academy members, and of our new inductees in particular.

You are now, officially, a Distinguished Teacher, and we are here tonight to congratulate you and to thank you for all you have done. 

Because you are excellent at what you do, you have changed the trajectory of thousands and thousands of lives for the better – and that legacy is worth celebrating.

But this is not a lifetime achievement award!  And my job tonight is not just to pat you on the back and tell you that you’re wonderful – though of course, you are. 

My job tonight is to encourage you to see this as a step – a step in the right direction, to be sure – but just one step which will lead to many more steps down this path that you have chosen.

We’re grateful for all you’ve done, but this is Texas, we want more! And I know that your accomplishments to date, impressive as they may be, are a mere glimpse of what’s to come – a preamble for a Big Orange Book yet to be written.

I look forward to reading that book – and of course, on behalf of the entire University of Texas System, I thank and congratulate you all.