8/5/15

So it’s August and all around the country teachers are either preparing for or returning to school. It’s a busy time of year. These teachers spend hours outside of the classroom preparing to give your child the best year possible.

It is time-consuming. Teachers plan lesson plans, decorate their classrooms, and start gradebooks. They give up time with their family and their own children to help your child. They prepare special presentations at the open-house to make you and your child more comfortable, and they know that although they have the weekends free for the remainder of the year, they will spend these preparing the next unit your child will learn. They will take extra time to create units that include movement, visuals, and hands-on activities. Then, this teacher will take time filling out paper work and documenting your child’s education for the state, their district, themselves, and you. It is their job to teach, but it never has been in the job requirements to give up so much personal, unpaid time. However, expect your child’s teacher to give up this time anyhow, because they already love and care about him or her.

In addition, expect to see your child’s teacher at the grocery store. They will likely spend a hundred or more preparing their classroom with supplies. It is not in the job requirements, but they will decorate with their own money. They will purchase hundreds of pencils, because your child will approach them repeatedly throughout the year without supplies. This teacher will also buy extra supplies for the child who did not have any in the first place Then, later in the year, this teacher will purchase multiple lesson plan ideas just to make sure your child is enjoying school.

This teacher will worry about your child–the friends she is making, the low academic scores, and failure to turn in homework. This teacher will talk with your child, begging him to work on his behavior, explaining the ultimate life-long consequences of his choices today. This teacher will wait after school and call you to praise your child or warn you about what is happening when you leave your child in her care.

This teacher will need something from you this year. This teacher will need your support. This teacher will need you to call and ask how your child is doing. This teacher will need you to praise your child for the good reports and reinforce them when the report is bad. This teacher will need you to understand they want your child’s best, and this teacher may just need an encouraging word of appreciation from you. Trust me, it will mean the world to them.