For the Teachers

Today I met up with Ellee’s Reading Teacher.  She’s part of the team that is helping our daughter and she was there last week at Ellee’s conference.  She called me up a few days ago and told me that she had been thinking about something I had shared in our meeting.  She said that she had thought of some strategies that might help us at home as we worked with our daughter and asked if I could come in to talk to her about it.

I have to say, it was an incredibly delightful meeting.  For a good hour, we talked about Ellee and how far she’s come this year.  I had the chance to ask some questions that I had been wondering as I shared both fears and goals that I had for our daughter and her educational journey.  Ellee’s teacher patiently took the time to address each concern with encouragement and support and it was so very helpful.  A few times during our meeting, I got a little teary, but this time it wasn’t because I felt hopeless (which to be honest, is a feeling that I’ve had at times).  It was actually the opposite.  They were tears of joy in gratitude for Ellee and the teachers that are helping her this year.  I walked away from our meeting filled with hope and encouragement as well as equipped with new tools that I could learn and use to help our Ellee girl.

So this post… this is for the teachers.  These are words of gratitude and thanksgiving, given most thankfully and humbly, from my heart to yours.

For the teachers who care about their students… thank you.

For the teachers who wake up each morning knowing that they have been called to influence and to change lives…  thank you.

For the teachers who look at their students and see not just numbers and percentages, but who look and see each student’s mind and heart and who take the time to nurture those as well… thank you.

For the teachers who are kind… thank you.  Kindness has great value in our family and it’s something that is held up with great importance.  For those teachers who also model and value this as we do, know that your students are directly learning from your examples.

For the teachers who care enough to hear a broken mother’s heart for her child and then come up with a plan to help… thank you (times a million).

For the teachers who go the extra mile to help a student who is struggling… thank you.

In my opinion, teachers have an incredibly important role in not only our society, but also in the lives of our children.  Amidst the hours of prep and planning, and the tough days, and the paperwork and the dealing with administrations and parents as well as students, and everything else in between, at times, I’m sure it seems like a thankless job.

But every day, please know that you are doing a great work.  That you have an incredibly high calling.  That you are influencing hearts and lives.  And tonight, please know that there are people just like me, that are incredibly thankful, for people just like you.