Good people.
I was only in my second year teaching when I had little P in my class, and he's in grade 3 now! It's great to get updates on how my former students are doing...how they enjoy school, if they still do this or that, and of course, it's always nice to hear that they remember you. Well, I'll take the liberty of posting an excerpt from the email P's mom sent me. You'll see why I'm nearly in tears.
Just so you know... you are still talked about a lot by P. And for me, you are still the person I use in all of my "how well is the school year going" comparisons... so, if you're ever wondering if you are in the right field, know that you've got one mom who thinks you've set the standards -- and set them pretty high :).
Wow huh?
My job has a lots of perks (summers off and that whole deal...), but just as well, it is a very taxing job. Little people have and need lots of energy, and they suck a lot of energy from adults it seems. Depending on the class or the individuals, days, weeks and whole school years can range anywhere from wonderful to horrible. In only five years of teaching, I feel that I have already run the gamut, and I know that I will cycle through all those spaces regularly throughout the rest of my teaching career.
There are a couple of things that can keep a teacher like me going when things get really low, as they have for me at points this year. Feedback like that from parents is among the top two. Children can't always express their own growth or acknowledge those that have helped them get there. Although seeing an individual child's growth and their own joy about it is the #1 thing that keeps me going as a teacher, getting that feedback from parents has got to be #2. I'm here to make a difference, and when I hear that I have done that in the life of even just one child, it make it all worth it.
If I can, I would encourage all parents out there to let their child's teachers know when they've made a difference. If other teachers are anything like me, they'll appreciate it more than you can imagine.
Good people man, the world is full of em!
Thank you for your email SS! :)
My job has a lots of perks (summers off and that whole deal...), but just as well, it is a very taxing job. Little people have and need lots of energy, and they suck a lot of energy from adults it seems. Depending on the class or the individuals, days, weeks and whole school years can range anywhere from wonderful to horrible. In only five years of teaching, I feel that I have already run the gamut, and I know that I will cycle through all those spaces regularly throughout the rest of my teaching career.
There are a couple of things that can keep a teacher like me going when things get really low, as they have for me at points this year. Feedback like that from parents is among the top two. Children can't always express their own growth or acknowledge those that have helped them get there. Although seeing an individual child's growth and their own joy about it is the #1 thing that keeps me going as a teacher, getting that feedback from parents has got to be #2. I'm here to make a difference, and when I hear that I have done that in the life of even just one child, it make it all worth it.
If I can, I would encourage all parents out there to let their child's teachers know when they've made a difference. If other teachers are anything like me, they'll appreciate it more than you can imagine.
Good people man, the world is full of em!
Thank you for your email SS! :)
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