Whether it is a teacher’s first or thirtieth year, most teachers are cut from the same type A, people pleasing, creative cloth. We have entered the teaching profession for many reasons but have stayed for one- the kids. We love teaching kids! And just like your students, teachers are preparing to go back to school. Here are a few things we would like you to know about us.

That We Are Just As Nervous and Excited to Start School As You Are

We look forward to the laughs and the adventures. We get excited over the little things like new supplies, an organized classroom and really amazing lesson plans! We can’t wait to jump in and get started. Most of us spend a lot of August preparing for our students’ arrival and making sure everything is set just right!

At the same time, we worry about the start of something new. (Especially if the last year was amazing). Teaching nightmares are a real thing! I am not a typically anxious person so I tend to only have a few prior to the start of school but some of my friends have weeks of anxiety prior to starting. How is the schedule going to work? What if our students don’t get along. What if we can’t figure out how to navigate a behavior or learning problem. What if our students don’t like us? What if the administration isn’t supportive of our teaching philosophy? It’s not just the students who worry. 

That We Are Human

We understand and appreciate how hard it is to trust a stranger with your baby. Many of us have our own babies too and have embodied the role of parent and teacher. In your amazing push to do right by your child, please remember that we are human. We make mistakes. We stumble. Just like you might stumble while you are parenting your child, we do too. Sometimes we are carrying heavy loads in our lives outside of school and can use some understanding ourselves. 

So before you fire off that email, please remember there is a human being on the other end. Someone who will take your words to heart and sometimes even cry over them. As a parent and a teacher, I know how hard the balance is. When I email my child’s teacher I have to take a breath and exercise restraint. She is not going to be able to answer me by the end of the day. She may not even get to it until the next morning during planning time. Give us 24 hours. Know that we are balancing a lot and are doing the best we can.

Give Every Teacher A Chance

Don’t judge a book by its cover. Give every teacher a chance. Young does not mean inexperienced. Many of them have years of training through high school and college. Some of them were raised by teachers themselves and have a lifetime of knowledge. 

At the same token, experienced teachers can be just as new and fresh. It all has to do with personal drive and nothing to do with years in the classroom.

We Appreciate All the Work You Put Into Your Children

We work with children all day. We completely understand what it takes to make kids be kind, thoughtful individuals. We marvel at the families that consistently produce kind and responsible children. We applaud you. Teachers without kids of their own would like to come observe your family at home to see how you do it! Keep up the great work!

We also greatly appreciate open lines of communication about your child. If something is going home, a quick, succinct update is helpful for all of the adults who interact with your child. It helps us support your child the best we can. So please, think of us as equal partners in this ride and keep us in the loop!

So here’s to a new school year! We can’t wait to start making memories with your children. Please know that your sons and daughters will leave imprints on our hearts and we’ll remember them long after they left us.