Parent Appreciation
This past week was Teacher Appreciation Week and I received some nice gifts like a picture of a rainbow, a handwritten note, flowers , a bracelet and a few gift cards. However, it is something else that I received that I appreciated just as much and honestly, never expected. What I got was a reminder that change can have lots of different looks and it can be very small but its a beginning and that is all that matters.
At the beginning of the week there was a situation with one of my students and a consequence was given for the choice my student made but the consequence couldn’t be carried out until the next day. Everything was communicated to the parent by the end of the day. Later that evening the parent contacted me to let me know her thoughts on the situation. I was furious. I couldn’t believe what I was reading. It was an accident, the consequence is to harsh, etc. If you are a teacher you know what I’m talking about. I don’t know a teacher that hasn’t had this type situation and grumbled the same grumbles as I did. I showed my husband and said can you believe this. I texted my teammates. I mean come on for the love of Pete what is wrong with parents.
In the morning when I woke up and was getting ready for the day I realized I was still upset. On the way to work is when I pray and have my time to be quiet with God. I even said to God can you believe that mom, she still has me upset and that’s when it hit me, I had myself upset because I never turned it over to Him. I grumble to my husband, my team and a friend but not to the one who has the power to fix it all. So I prayed over the situation knowing she was going to call my principal. I prayed for her to have understanding, for both parties to speak calmly, clearly and effectively. That’s it I thought. That’s what I should have done to begin with but as usual I forget to do that. It’s out of my hands now.
Later that morning a consequence was given. A conversation between the principal and the parent took place. I don’t know what was said and that is okay. That evening the parent contacted me again. This time she offered an apology and went on to explain some things and how even though she was trying to be her child’s advocate she was wrong. The next morning my student came with handwritten apology notes for those involved in the situation. That afternoon the mom gave me a card with a handwritten apology. Friday morning my student gave me a handwritten apology that filled one side of a piece of notebook paper. I thanked the mom when she picked up her child but I could tell she was uncomfortable as she quickly walked away.
As I ponder on all this I realize or at least I think this is a good example of something my admin on my campus talks about and I’ve always believed and that is we have to be the change. We don’t know what others have grown up in and have experienced but we can be the change, be intentional on what they experience now. I hope that mom never stops being the advocate for her child. She should be her child’s number one advocate. Perhaps she never had that growing up and that is why she reacted the way she did. Maybe she didn’t have positive experiences in school. Maybe this is the first time she is having to learn what it is like having a child in a classroom where the teacher runs a tight ship of structure and discipline. I may be tough but I promise you this my students know that I love them and you don’t dare mess with one of my kids. Quoting one of my students from Friday, Mrs. Cayce you are the best teacher I’ve never seen. Haha!
So, yes I received some nice things this week but perhaps the nicest was seeing a seed of change planted. When it comes down to it that is all we can do. We don’t know what they have been through and I guarantee it would break our hearts if we did know, we may not agree with what they say or do but we can show kindness, we can show a better choice, we can show change.
