Thankful Thursday

In the spirit of Teacher Appreciation Week, I am going to take this opportunity to carry on about how thankful I am for the teachers involved in my children's educational journey this year. I'm feeling blessed that my kids are being well cared for by incredibly giving teachers while they are away from me for many hours each week.

My love of our chosen preschool for Mathilda (and all of our children) is no secret. I drive 10.5 miles each way, passing several other preschools along the way, to send my baby girl to the school that I know is the best choice for her. The teachers are what make her school so special. I am so thankful to my friend who first introduced me to the school, and for these two wonderful teachers who have introduced all of my children into the world of being students.

Today I had the pleasure of being a guest at preschool for Mother's Day tea, just one example of Mathilda's teachers going far and above the call of duty to make this first experience with school as special and magical as possible. The kids sang, danced, made us beautiful gifts, and served us lunch that they helped to prepare. If you follow me on Instagram, you can see some pictures. Unfortunately I remain technically challenged and do not know how to get photos from Instagram onto Blogger.

I have been so blessed this year because Connor and Lucy both have teachers who are perfectly suited to their personalities. Lucy is like a delicate, fragile little flower who needs someone gentle and sweet. She has a wonderful teacher who just gets her and treats her exactly as she needs to be treated. Connor tends to get a little frazzled and sets really high standards for himself. His awesome teacher is mellow and kind and helps keep him grounded when he starts to get wound up a little too tight. They are both dedicated ladies and I'm so grateful that my kids were assigned to their classrooms.

Connor's teacher is hosting a Mother's Day Poetry Cafe tomorrow afternoon, where all of us moms and special loved ones will get to hear our kids recite poetry that they've written themselves, and enjoy some light refreshments. Again, I know this kind of thing takes effort and time far beyond the hours spent in the classroom.

Now that Bethany is in middle school, I don't have as much interaction with her teachers as I did when she was in elementary school. But I have found all of her teachers as a whole to be very organized, helpful, and responsive. They have each helped to make Bethany's transition into middle school a very smooth one. They all keep careful track of student grades online on the Parent Portal, so it's easy to see how Bethany is doing in her classes at any given time. I realize this takes a lot of time outside of the classroom, and I'm so thankful that they take the time to do it. Bethany is the type to email  her teachers if she has any issues with homework or anything else, and they have been really good about getting back with her and addressing her concerns. One teacher even sends out frequent email updates to parents, which I absolutely love. He takes the time to let us know when big tests are coming up, when he's going to be out of the classroom, and to remind us it's time to turn in fundraiser money. As our kids get older, being involved in their education is still important. Thankfully our middle school teachers seem to understand that!

Teachers give so much of themselves to their students. They work long hours, and wear many hats throughout the school day...educator, counselor, mediator, and many more. They also spend a lot of their own money to make their classrooms inspiring learning environments. Today I'm feeling thankful for all my kids' teachers do for them.

What are you thankful for today?

Do you love your child's teacher(s)?

Are your kids doing any special Mother's Day things for you at school?