Weekly thread: Let's hear it for the teachers
What do you appreciate about your kids' teachers and school staff?
First, a reminder that I’m running a Mother’s Day 20% off sale for paid subscriptions through Sunday! You can buy discounted gift subscriptions, too.
Unless you’ve been hiding in a cave you probably know that this week is Teacher Appreciation Week. So today, I want to hear about about the amazing things your kids’ teachers and school staff have done for your kids this year (or in years past).
A few things I’m thankful for with regard to our kids’ public school teachers:
My 8-year-old has been struggling for years with letter and number reversals, and her teacher this year quickly identified the issue, consulted with the school’s occupational therapist, and came up with a plan to work on it — which has been immensely successful. It’s clear how deeply her teacher (who was also my son’s teacher during the pandemic!) cares about her students and their growth.
My 12-year-old’s teachers this year are all flipping fantastic — they find such dynamic and creative ways to teach. He’s had an amazing year.
Our administrators are communicative, thoughtful and handle difficult issues extremely well. Just last Friday, our kids’ school had a two-hour delay because the school was notified overnight of a potential threat. It was terrifying — the sheriff’s office and local K9 units had to sweep the school — but the staff handled it admirably, and when the school did re-open, some teachers and administrators stood outside, personally welcoming the students inside with reassuring smiles.
What have your kids’ teachers and staff done this year that you’re especially thankful for? Also — quick poll — I’m curious how many of you *are* teachers or school staff, because I think there are quite a few of you!
I am the daughter of an elementary teacher, and I'm thankful for that insight which helps me better appreciate my child's teachers and all the admin and support staff at their school. It's been a long road to get to the point where we are now with my kids' IEP and 504's but their current teachers? I couldn't ask better ones-they are kind, empathetic, smart, funny, organized, and truly love what they do. (I wish they felt safer and were better paid, but that is a topic for another day.) We hit the jackpot this year. My youngest son's teacher is just so amazing I can't even think of other words to describe her-just thinking about it gets me emotional because she's helped my severely anxious child in EVERY possible way she could think of and doesn't hesitate to brainstorm new ideas or accommodations, even if it's late at night or it means more work for her. So it's really not just one thing, but a collection of things she's done to help him feel safe, welcome, and understood. My older son's teacher has fostered an environment that encourages my kid to voice concern about a situation, knowing she's a safe and trusted adult. They are just the best. *all the heart emojis*
Anyway, thanks to all the teachers and school staff out there. You are amazing and are doing the most important work. I see you and am so thankful.
Last year, my kid's kindergarten teacher asked the school OT to keep an informal eye on him when she was in the room working with other kids. His first-grade teacher did the same this year, and eventually the OT concluded he should have a full work-up, because his difficulty writing was frustrating him since he had so much he wanted to write. He's now in regular OT for some motor skills and visual-motor processing issues that, looking at his assessments, I am very sure I had at his age but never got formal help for. This is of course a resource issue -- my kid's relatively minor challenges get the kind of support at his school that I watch friends in other districts fight tooth and nail for for kids with much bigger challenges, and that enrages me. But it's also a mindset issue, and one of attentiveness to how he was doing. In general his teachers have so fully engaged with the whole child. I really dread the coming years when teachers will be under more pressure about standardized tests and be less able to attend as fully to the whole child.
The music teacher at his school put together a concert of the first- and second-graders, and it was so impressive! The grades performed separately but there are three classrooms for each grade and they didn't get to practice together much (maybe only once?) but she had them all standing in line and at least somewhat doing some choreographed gestures, and they sang like eight little songs -- which meant remembering not just the tunes but the words -- and she really got buy-in. My kid was so serious and proud the day they had dress rehearsal, and it really mattered to him that we and his grandmother come. I came out feeling so strongly about the importance of art and music education for all kids because even if you don't care much about music, there were so many different skills and kinds of learning on display there.