Thank You, Teachers: How You Shaped Our Family’s Journey
Throughout our lives, we meet some truly amazing people who can inspire us. For some, it may be a parent or a mentor, but nearly every one of us has had a positive experience or relationship with a teacher. Maybe it was your high school English teacher who taught you the importance of grammar. Or maybe, it was your child’s teacher who helped them develop a love of reading or math. In May, we can share our appreciation for the teachers who touched our lives when we celebrate Teachers’ Day!
I believe teachers are amazing and have an incredible ability to leave a positive impact on society. I think we often understate the tremendous effect they have on the world. Think about it for a second. Who taught you how to read properly or helped cultivate your passion for a particular subject? In most cases, it was probably one of your teachers. That’s not to say every teacher left a positive impact on your life, but some of them definitely went above and beyond to help you learn, even if you don’t realize it.
My appreciation for teachers has only grown since I became a parent. It has been a blessing that my children have had such amazing teachers throughout their educational journey. I’ve been blown away by their patience and ability to bring out the best in my children. One of my son’s teachers did a project with him I adored because it made him take a look at himself. The teacher had each kid pick a part of themselves they liked best and explain why they liked it. My son picked his hands and said things like, “My hands can hug my mom, and my hands can make hamburgers.” I loved this project so much that I had his picture framed.
I think that project was really important for the kids because it’s important they find things about themselves they like. It becomes even more vital as they approach adulthood. Life is difficult, and we can be hard on ourselves when things don’t work out as planned. I think it’s wonderful this second grade teacher realized the impact she could have with this lesson by encouraging her students to personalize their work.
It’s been fascinating to watch teachers interact with my children and help them develop their skills, but Teachers’ Day has also encouraged me to reminisce about my time in school and the teachers who shaped me. I had an English teacher in middle school who also became my teacher in high school. She was an incredibly nice teacher but was also strict and structured. It was always clear what the expectations were, and if you didn’t meet them, no excuse was acceptable. Her lessons allowed me to develop a sense of responsibility, which has served me well throughout my life. She was a tough teacher, but I appreciated it because it helped strengthen my work ethic. As a kid, you don’t really understand how the world works, and you try to get away with as much as possible. There was no getting away with anything in this teacher’s class, and I couldn’t be more thankful for it.
Teachers don’t always get the recognition they deserve for everything they do. Thank a teacher this Teachers’ Day, and share your appreciation for the sacrifices they make to help our kids find success in their lives.
