Teacher Appreciation
This post has the potential to come off as a humblebrag, but that's not my intention at all. Yesterday, one of my students brought me a balloon for teacher appreciation week. The balloon proclaimed I am "the best and coolest teacher." It was a sweet gesture and it warmed my heart. But, that's not where her generosity ended. Later in the day, the same student presented me with four papers decorated in the colors of the various Hogwarts houses. Each said "Notes from Ravenclaws," "Notes from Slytherins," etc. Then, she explained what she had done. She'd collected an assortment of my students, placed them into their respective houses, and asked them to write me a note about my impact as a teacher. She'd instructed them that they couldn't just write generic "you're great" messages. They had to be specific. Because of this, the messages were some of the most heartfelt compliments I've ever received from students. Needless to say, there were tears aplenty. This brings me to my point... To my fellow teachers: I know it's so easy to get wrapped up in the bureaucratic hoop jumping, the madness of standardized testing, the mean-spirited parent emails... But, don't forget that what we do every day impacts the people who truly matter: our students. Many of the messages in the notes were about my positivity and the kindness I show them. Not one mentioned learning targets or success criteria. It was nice to be reminded of exactly what I love about this profession. Educators, in case you don't hear it enough: what we're doing is important and meaningful. You are worth so much more than the scores on an evaluation rubric. I appreciate you.
