Teacher Appreciation Week.

So it's Teacher Appreciation week and I'm a member of some craft groups. They have posted some really cool gifts for teachers and have plans to give gifts every day.  As I look at each of them, I marvel at their creativity and time they have taken. Looking at all of these things and admiring them, I got to thinking out of all those gifts which would a teacher want the most and I came to this conclusion.

Teachers would like your support. We are just as tired of giving and grading homework as you are helping with it.  We have looked at our standards and realized we still have things we are expected to have covered for them to be prepared for next year. We have also looked at grades and think we may be able to give a child a better chance of making a better grade by providing opportunities to increase their grade.

Teachers want your understanding. Understand that decisions we make at this time are based on a large group not just one child.  Though your child is the most important child in your life, there are 60-200 important children in our lives. We consider them all special and important.

Teachers want you to send your child with the expectation you have for them to be on their best behavior and give their best effort.  Realize Education is our job and learning is your child's job. Recognize there are two sides or more to every situation that happens. Realize you are getting the point of view that best benefits your child.

Teachers did not become teachers because they wanted to be mean to children. Teachers become  teachers for just the opposite reasons.  They love kids and feel like they have something to offer. They want only the best for kids. They want children to succeed.

It's teacher appreciation week and gifts are not necessary.  Understanding, support, and an expectation you have of your child to do what's right and try to learn something is the best appreciation you can show.

We are tired but your child is too important for us to sacrifice their education whether it be standards based lessons or life lessons.

We are teachers.  We want the best for all of our students.