On a day set aside for National Teacher Appreciation Day, President Obama hosted 2011's National and State Teachers of the Year for a reception in the White House Rose Garden.
The city's nearly 30, 000 teachers walked out on September 10, objecting to a longer school day, evaluations tied to student performance and job losses from school closings.
As I visit schools across the country and talk with teachers at the U.S. Department of Education, they astound me continually with what they accomplish every day.