Taking a Moment to Tell a Story of Gratitude

Among the art shows, final projects, proms, and graduations, there’s a rush and an excitement with all of the final activities and culminating projects of the year. This week, we have the chance to pause for a moment, to consider what our teachers have meant to our students over the past year. We know that teachers are in the profession to make a difference in children and teen’s lives. And the work is intense and never-ending. Teachers are not only responsible for instructional learning each day and advancing students’ in their knowledge and comprehension of academic content, they are also responsible for so many other aspects of children’s lives during the school day. Whether its being responsive to neuro-diverse learners and how they need to learn and express their learning differently, or how students are dealing with in-group/out-group situations and promoting kindness and acceptance, or how to discuss difficult topics that wield strong emotions in the classrooms, hallways and on the playground, there is no shortage of issues that teachers are expected to deal with. In fact, it’s been said that teachers don’t merely teach a subject, they teach life itself. This is the truth.

Daily, we rely so heavily on our teachers to be a part of our caring village. We could not do our roles as parents without them. And in fact, for those of us who have homeschooled, we deeply understand the enormous responsibility on their shoulders. As you debate how much time you have to put into appreciating your teachers, consider your own life and how teachers have played an important role in shaping and influencing where you are today.

In this busy time, we can skip appreciation of our teachers in the busy-ness of the end of school. Our child may even have big feelings about needing to say goodbyes particularly if a teacher is beloved. Parents can inadvertently help children avoid their feelings, and instead, perform the many logistical tasks required of the moment. Buy a card. Stick a potted plant on a desk. Race to the next task. And the get-it-done style may check off the boxes on our lengthy list but it misses the significant opportunity of modeling and teaching your children how to share true gratitude for person who’s impacted their life.

Here are some ways to show gratitude to your child’s teacher and help them engage in a well-rounded ending that will bring their school year to meaningful close and demonstrate the value of the relationships forged over the past year.

Write down the impact the person has had on your life.

On a recent stay with my parents, both lifelong educators, I came across my Mother’s retirement album. Every page of the album was filled with layers of note cards and letters from students who took the time to not just say thank you, but explain why and how my Mom made a difference in their learning and their life. And now in her retirement, she returns to read those notes on particularly challenging days when she needs a reminder that she’s truly made a meaningful impact on people. As you consider the teachers, administrators, and pupil support staff who have made an impact on you, your child, and/or your family, take the time to write it down and get specific. Spend time with your child or teen coming up with the content to incorporate their thoughts and feelings. Or spend a little time in a dinner conversation considering educators’ impacts and turn those into a letter. Perhaps pass the letter around for each member who has been impacted to contribute a paragraph. Your reflections just may be carefully placed in an album to offer emotional sustenance as that person ages far beyond your time together.

Draw and create art to show your gratitude.

Art can be one of the sincerest expressions of the heart. You may have a child that naturally gravitates to the drawing board. If you do, then encourage a piece of art that reflects your child’s appreciation for their teacher. Don’t want to draw? Print off photos of your child’s work from a class and make a collage. This can become a lasting keepsake for a teacher.

Mark the occasion with a meaningful and reflective gathering.

Are you saying goodbye to a group of people – a team, a committee, a class? Though this time of year is filled with events, people make a priority of attending ending gatherings so why not host one? It need not be elaborate. It could take place at school so that it’s convenient for students, teachers, and parents alike. Make your gathering meaningful by not only serving sweet treats but also, giving each person the opportunity to reflect on each other’s contributions and offer gratitude for your experiences together. Take a page from our high schoolers who sign one another’s yearbooks with expressions of appreciation. Hang a poster for each person to sign and write appreciations or have note cards at the ready and ask people to write and then give to others at the gathering.

Create a ritual.

If it’s a graduation year for your child, you have a milestone ritual to look forward to. But if not, creating a ritual can be a way to mark the transition and offer a moment to share the story of your child’s teacher’s impact. Perhaps your ceremony involves offering a new class resource you’ve created or wisdom nuggets to pass on from your learning. Though a ritual requires some thought about what might be meaningful to participants, it can create memories that last a lifetime and seal the goodbye with that full circle feeling of satisfied completion. And it gives you and your child the opportunity to share your sincere appreciation in-person.

For a teacher, hearing your transformative stories – “at the beginning of the year, she couldn’t read and now I can’t get her to stop thanks to you!” – can be transformative for the teacher. They bring their whole hearts to the job. Teaching takes resilience, persistence, courage, and ultimately, love of children. And certainly, there are times when they don’t know or hear whether what they’ve done has had any impact on a child or family’s life. Be sure to find a way to tell your stories of gratitude and involve your child so that they hear that their time, care, and investment has truly made a difference.

#TeacherAppreciationWeek