I am a VETERAN teacher.
NO.
I have NOT fought in a WAR.
I have taught in GRADE 1
( exclusively )
for over 25 years!
WOW!
( Never “graduated” to second grade..as my students tell me!) 🙂
But…
I have changed my “VIEW” on teacher appreciation.
We ALL want to be appreciated.
We want to be recognized for
SOMETHING “GOOD”
we have done!
But..
things can get a little …
OUT OF HAND!
I believe..
YES…
I believe there are
those who are
APPRECIATED
and those who
WISH THEY WERE!
I will say this ONE TIME..
IT IS NOT ABOUT TEST SCORES!
The teacher’s with the SUPER highest test scores
are NOT, always,
the teachers who are
APPRECIATED the MOST!
Now…disclaimer…teachers work WAY TOO hard!
I got that!
Some are SOOOOOO focused on the “data”..
they forget, or can’t “document” the traits of the child the “data”came from!
No where is there a box to check that says:
___ Didn’t have breakfast ( or dinner the night before ).
___ Couldn’t sleep because parents were arguing LOUDLY!
___ No one would help with homework/reading ( for the past two weeks!)
or
___ not in a good “mind set” today.
BUT…
these are kids!
This is life!
To attach a “number” to a student based on “today’s testing module”
is NOT
what teaching is all about!
( Ok sorry..OFF my soapbox!)
So ,
Teacher Appreciation.
Where? How? When?
Admin’s…
Please ..I don’t need a new pen with my school name on it.
If YOU really want to show me your appreciation…
HAVE MY BACK during an IEP
when ‘the team” says
I NEED TO DO MORE!
By the time I have gotten to his stage..
I HAVE DONE ALL I CAN DO!
Take the stand that I AM DONE!
SEND ME SOME HELP!
Now I have great admin’s…
I know they have my back!
THAT’s APPRECIATION!
If you want to “give” me something…
…TAKE MY RECESS DUTY!
…Take my class for an hour at the end of the day, if MY child is home sick!
… Come in and do reading groups once in a while
( an extra adult doing centers is ALWAYS appreciated).
You see…it’s NOT about the “things”
it’s about WHAT you DO!
How do you know if your “team” appreciates YOU?
Do you “share”?
Do you “follow through?”
Do you “care” about each other?
My “teaching partner”..
( I said “partner” one time..it took on a WHOLE DIFFERENT meaning!)
and I have taught next to each other
( rooms 3 & 4)
for 17 years!
We are going to retire together
the same year…in 7 years.
( We “pinky sweared”…
..as long as nothing catastrophic happens before then).
Her mom works in her room.
I call her MOM!
Our student’s think we are
SISTERS!
See the family “resemblance”?
In my heart..
SOUL SISTERS!
We run homework for each other.
We share our students.
We laugh, we cry, we CARE about each other!
We are NOT the ONLY grade 1 teachers.
We have 1-2 others who teach with us.
( Depending on the year and student numbers).
We ALWAYS include them!
This is NOT a
CLOSE YOUR DOOR & DO YOUR THING!
NOPE!
WE DO!
Together.
Feel appreciated? YEP! Daily.
( I could have transfered to another school in MY district..many times!)
NOT LEAVING!
LOVE MY
CRAZY TITLE 1 school!
and then..
Your students..
When do they make YOU feel appreciated?
Is it when you are passing out report cards?
Is it when they forgot their homework?
Is it when they have interuupted you for the 1000th time that day?
Probably NOT!
It’s when that SAME little girl walks in EVERY morning
and says..
“Can I have a HUG?”
or
When the little boy who STUTTERS ( severely )…
asks if he can READ his newest story
TO THE CLASS!
( And EVERYONE cheers for him!)
or
The “behavior problem” child
who knows ( his MAMA tells him a lot )
that he is a PROBLEM..
and he hands me a heart he made with a picture of me & him!
( Melts my heart..right before he hits another student!)
and last…
the “older students” who come back..
just to say HI!
or..
“I got my driver’s license & I promise to be safe..just like you said!”
“I got a full-ride scholarship…to HARVARD!”..yes it did happen!
“I want to be back in first grade so I can PAINT!”
“Thank you , Mrs. McCarty, for listening to me!”
Giggles, Grins, Hugs, & High Fives to
ALL of YOU!
YOU make a difference!
Wendy, I love this heartfelt post! You hit the nail on the head with what teacher appreciation is REALLY about! Thanks for sharing.
Tammy
The Resourceful Apple
Awww…Wendy, this is such a lovely post! Thank you for sharing! 🙂
Overall i see this is an amazing article.
This is so beautifully written. Such a sincere and genuine piece. You are a lovely person and teacher. I wish I taught with you!
That is such a sweet thing to say! I feel very fortunate to be where I am. I wish that for everyone! Happy Spring! Wendy 1stgradefireworks