As many of you know this week is teacher appreciation week. Teachers everywhere are raking in extra calories and mementos of a job well done!
I am a parent and a teacher so it is only right that this week’s Friday Reflection should be centered on what a teacher appreciates. Afterall, it is not a teacher alone that makes a school great.
Shall we begin with the lifeblood of educators everywhere? A teacher appreciates coffee. We appreciate coffee before work, when we show up to work, and during that critical moment we contemplate if we can endure the day or if we should make a run for the door.
A teacher appreciates the front office staff. We have deep respect for these beautiful souls that weather the barrage of parent, student, and teacher complaints. They help a child with a phone call, turn to assist a staff member with the fax machine for the tenth time, and manage to figure out how to keep the entire building running while never wiping the iconic “how can I help you” smile off their face.
A teacher appreciates custodial staff. These magnificent humans literally must do it all. They trap a mouse, hang a light, stop a leak, clean a lunchroom, and still have patience to respond to a radio call because of a dreaded bathroom Tik Tok challenge.
A teacher appreciates paraprofessionals. These angels on earth teach, manage behavior, collect data, and pick us up when we are in the corner crying in the fetal position. They are assigned to the students with the greatest need for every millisecond on their day! Talk about feeling like you never have time to use the bathroom.
A teacher appreciates the tech office. They know that the questions they are about to hear are the same questions that almost every other teacher has asked, on repeat, for the past month. These technological geniuses have the superpower of refraining from cursing or throwing things, as they explain in simple language, very slowly, how to use basic technology and help us manage our printer. “Yeah… umm…I’m sure it’s not you. It is probably a server issue.” Thanks tech office for your sweet lies!
A teacher appreciates the lunch staff. Who can endure hundreds of children when they are tired in the morning, hyper in the afternoon, and “hangry” as hell? These folks can! They see more complaints than “thank-yous”, yet remain polite. Most people think that school breakfast and lunch magically appear. Well, I’m sorry to ruin the mystery, but it’s not UberEats folks, it’s the hard-working people in your building.
A teacher appreciates the fermentation process of grapes. Working out, deep breathing, and meditation are all great coping strategies after a long week of work. However, the addition of Netflix and libation are a great way to restore the spirit of a weary teacher.
A teacher appreciates a parent or guardian who doesn’t screen phone calls from the school and picks up when they call. It saves us from having to leave a voicemail that will be followed up with three emails and end up with a last resort call from our student’s cell phone. We don’t bite, I promise the more you talk to us the more endearing we become, like a koala bear or some other adorable creature.
A teacher appreciates his or her students. In all seriousness, we are in the business of loving and supporting kids. We appreciate that we have the opportunity to impact how much they believe in their potential. We are excited about how much they can accomplish with their efforts. Maybe most importantly, we take pride in creating an environment where they can learn while being accepted for who they are unconditionally.
We realize we see them seven to eight hours a day and sometimes those days get long, but a teacher realizes that every tomorrow is another chance to make a difference. We are growth junkies who can’t wait to see every kid come to the realization that they are strong, beautiful, and enough for this crazy thing called life. In reality, that is all the thanks we need…However, coffee and wine help too:) Happy Teacher Appreciation week to ALL those who have a hand in education past and present!
Awake & Accelerate 