Reflections Of A Teacher: A Love Letter

The following is written by my daughter and special education teacher, Christine, as the school year ends. I am so proud of her as I wrote in my Mother’s Day post last year. She is an amazing, beautiful, strong woman whom I am so proud to call my daughter and a best friend. A gift from God given to me to straighten up my own life, and teach me to be a mom. A gift who keeps on giving to her family, friends, students, colleagues and the less fortunate. You only have to read this letter to understand …

Dear Students & Colleagues

Last fall, I decided that this would be my last year of teaching, at least for a while. I still believe wholeheartedly in the importance of having strong teachers because a proper education is the solution to so many of society’s issues, but as much of an impact as I can have in the classroom, I have also learned that my impact could probably be, and should be, even more widespread. Therefore, my new mission will be to enter a phase of my career where I actively work to improve society and make a broader impact.

That said, I cannot simply move on from this 11-year chapter without acknowledging how blessed I have been. My colleagues, especially my fellow teachers, have been peer role models who have inspired me in incalculable ways. I have had the privilege of working with intelligent, strong-willed, passionate, kind, and committed teachers for 11 straight years.

• 

• 

I look back in wonder that so many good people work in one place. One important lesson I learned from my colleagues is that no amount of training can replace compassion, love, and kindness. Over the years, I have watched teachers form life-long bonds with their students. If I wanted to know what a certain student was doing years after leaving our school, I could count on someone who taught them to know (not just because of social media). That sounds so simple, but it is, in fact, remarkable.

Take a second to think about how many former teachers you have kept in touch with over the years- bet it’s not a ton! Alumni have LOVED coming back to see their former teachers, and it’s not just because the students were taught to read and write; it’s because they were nurtured, appreciated, and widely loved, and they were taught to see and reach their highest potential. What more could a teacher hope to do?

One of the most formative experiences I have had has been working with and within the diversity department. That work, and all it has led me to learn, has inspired me to move on to the next phase of my career. It has been the most important and eye-opening work I could have done, and I will never stop pursuing a higher understanding of the experiences of marginalized communities.

I will raise my own children according to all I have learned and will continue to learn in this field. All schools, companies, businesses, etc. should have a diversity department. Hearing people’s stories, especially those who have experienced such a different life than you have, completely transforms your relationships with people, and it allows you to be a better version of yourself. I have never been so comfortable with the notion that I truly know nothing, and I am motivated by all I have to learn.

Now, most importantly, I will attempt to circumvent all the limitations of the written language to express how my students have impacted my life throughout the years. Entertain me as I try to list the most important life lessons I have taken from my students throughout the years:

• Each human possesses individual strengths and weaknesses, and if we learn to embrace it all equally without worrying about how we compare to others, the sky is the limit.
• Outward affection becomes more difficult to both give an accept as we get older, making it even more valuable and poignant. We should all strive to tell people how we feel much more often, especially when our feelings are positive.
• Never stop laughing, even if you have to laugh at yourself. 
• Find people who make you feel good about yourself, and don’t let them go. If somebody makes you feel bad about yourself, talk about that with someone you trust and lean into it.
• Half the human population seems to have some form of ADHD, so why do our schools and teachers still expect every student to sit perfectly and pay full attention? Impossible. Deal with it and adapt.
• Accommodations and modifications aren’t crutches or boosts or even advantages; they are meant to level the playing field and bring equity into education. I challenge you to tell me which students don’t deserve all the same opportunities as the “smartest” and wealthiest in our society. If you have an answer, you’re wrong.
• Never stop asking questions.

Yes, I learned all that from 6th, 7th, and 8th graders. With each year of teaching, I have become more fulfilled. Here I have been, trying to teach my students life’s most important lessons, when in reality, I’m learning all I need to know from them. I beyond grateful to all of my students for working hard, being open-minded and open-hearted, and for allowing me into their worlds.

Each student who trusted me changed me. If I had to leave my students with one last piece of advice, I would keep it simple: In all you do, be kind, and remember that we are all human beings. Well, that seems simple on the surface, but adults in their biased and rigid ways often forget or are trained never to understand, what it means to be human. That’s all I ever want anybody to learn from me.

All whom I have known in my 11-year career as a teacher, I will take a piece of each of them with me, and I will use those pieces to make this world a better place. When you have a positive impact on a person, you will never know how far the ripple effect will go. It is my mission to make your ripples last as long as my life does. I am eternally grateful for the most enriching and significant 11 years of my life. I am truly blessed, and I’m glad I exist.

Christine aka Ms. Teahan

As my beautiful Christine is retiring from teaching, my last child and special little man is graduating from high school. So don’t put away those tissues yet if you want to read about that too!

Much Love to all the dedicated, loving teachers out there!

Sandy

#enlighten #empower #inspire #educate #BeKind