Teacher Appreciation Week

The way Amy and her crew do
teacher appreciation week.

I never know it's coming until there are pastries and bagels in the faculty room, but this week is teacher appreciation week.  Amy and I seem to be celebrating in different ways (her school appears to have showered their teachers with a food truck festival, while mine got breakfast) but the point is we are celebrating.

I know a lot of professions don't have days or weeks that celebrate the hard work they do so I won't make this long, but it is true that teaching can often be a thankless job.  So even though the extra food and coffee is nice it's the real thank yous from students that make the difference.

On Monday morning there was a letter addressed to me from an alternative high school.  I thought it was weird, but intriguing.  When I opened it I saw a one-page hand-written note from a student I had this year who was expelled.  Details are not important, but let's just say it's pretty hard to get expelled today, so it was probably warranted.  I adored this student.  She was so, so bright, so introspective.  She did so many (SO MANY) bad things, but she had so much potential.  I imagined her (often) in the body of another..at another school with a different foster mom and a different upbringing and a lot less lesbian drama and I could just see her.  Just her was more than enough, probably enough to be top of the class and such a source of light...

But that wasn't how things were going to go (at least this year).

A student gave me a free IHOP meal because I am "nice".
Of course, selfie opportunity during the period

She kind of left one day.  Without saying good-bye.  That's what happens when you get expelled...

But in the letter she expressed how appreciative she was for my efforts.  She admits she wasn't ready to listen, but that she thinks about our talks every day.  She knows her potential now.  She understand why I made the effort.  She's working on herself.

She ended the letter with a P.S.

P.S.  I am reading every day.

And with that I had tears.  The "thank yous" were nice.  The self-reflection even better.  The "I am reading" for me...the proof that I made an impact...on at least one person.

If every (good) teacher got one of these a year, I promise you, we would all make it.  (Hence the reason why I spent much of my night making individual teacher appreciation gifts for my kids many, many daycare teachers).

When will my kids get old enough to write thank you notes???

Happy Teacher Appreciation Week to all my friends and co-workers.  I appreciate your daily struggle!