Teach..the Children Well.....

“Teaching is the greatest act of optimism.”

---Colleen Wilcox

In June, my last child will graduate from high school. Between her and her two older brothers, there have probably been hundreds of teachers, school staff members, and other education professionals in their lives. Even the very few that were not my favorite people showed up and put the time in, every day. I always tried to recognize that, but lately, it’s become clear to me that I had no freaking idea how difficult being a teacher is.

Substitute teaching is now my newest gig. Recently, it involved spending a couple of days with kindergartners and let me tell you, that is hard labor. Their behavior was fine, no one was rude or mean. The classrooms were well-equipped, and other teachers and staff made sure to check in on me. The school day for a sub is only six hours long, but there isn’t one single second of it that isn’t busy. I literally came home and spent an hour on the couch, in a near-catatonic state, with Penny the pug glaring at me for having left her all alone for most of the day. Seriously, we are underestimating the power of six-year-old children. They could take down a squadron of tanks with their energy and determination.

In the younger classrooms, each child has a job. Line leader, messenger, snack helper, door holder, etc. Just try to get in front of a line leader, I dare you. It won’t end well for you. They guard that position for the precious few days they have it, and no one puts the line leader in a corner. Some teachers have even made the last spot in line a fun job, calling it the caboose and asking that student to shut off the lights or something. They take these roles very seriously, and it’s truly a gift to see them eager to help others and their classmates.

That’s another thing about younger kids, they haven’t figured out how to be mean yet. A child in kindergarten is all about being your friend, having a snack, playing on the swings, and reading fun books. They laugh, they skip rope, they smile at you. Sure, there are a few disputes, and some tears, but honestly, they are a great bunch of people, most of the time. They tell you the funniest stories. In one of my classes, I learned that a student’s father is 160 years old, and seven feet tall. One sweet new friend told me his mom is rich because she had forty dollars in her purse that she won on a scratch ticket. Another kid wanted to know my “real name” so I told him it was Wonder Woman but it had to be our secret. He wasn’t buying it, but he was nice about it.

A typical day in a kindergarten classroom requires efficient time management. It’s also full of short, adorable humans who can’t tie their shoes. Or tell time. Add to this mix, the fact that on any given day, there will be at least half a dozen children who are sneezing, coughing, and leaking snot all over everything. It’s not their fault, it’s just how childhood works. Parents, I beg of you, please stop complaining about sending in boxes of tissues, hand sanitizer, and antibacterial wipes. Yes, we should all reduce our consumption of paper products and plastic containers, but come on. Trust me, you want your child’s classroom to have enough of these items, otherwise, your kid won’t spend much time in school, they will be at home, sick as a dog, and you’ll spend all your time fetching them juice and freeze pops and binge-watching Paw Patrol.

To the many phenomenal teachers my children have had over the years, I now have newfound respect and admiration for all you’ve done, and continue to do. There is no mug, Yankee candle or apple-themed tacky gift that could even begin to be enough. You should all be making a million dollars a year, no joke. There is no way to say how very much you are appreciated by our family, but please know that you are. A few days of substitute teaching doesn’t make me an expert, but it did give me a real look at what we ask of our educators. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, thank you.