Thankful for Teachers - 2009

When counting my blessings for the past year, one thing ranks high above all the others. Surely I have had plenty of reasons to be thankful - tumor removal, benign results, good doctors, good nurses, healthy kids, a healthy husband and a good marriage. All of these things blow me away with happiness and gratitude. But most of all, I am thankful for teachers.

My children are 5 and 4. My daughter (5) is in Kindergarten, and has a wonderful teacher and teacher's aide that she adores. They are wonderful, caring people who truly bring out the best in her (and keep her in line!). She has learned to love school, which is the foundation of a love for learning. The single most important thing any child could learn. This will take her further than any handout, instruction or activity. She loves school because her teachers make learning fun.

My son is in Special Education Pre-Kindergarten, in a specialized class for autistic children. We have moved around this year, so he's been to 3 schools (one for regular school in our old school district, one for the summer school session and then his new school where we live now). Every teacher he's had has been a caring, wonderful person who loves Graham and believes in him. He has made incredible progress - mostly due to these teachers (and the aides, therapists and other staff - they're included in the 'teachers' for me). Just like his sister, he loves going to school, and loves to learn things. They work with him, not against him, and respect him just the way he is. With their help (and patience!) he is advancing at an amazing rate.

Thank you to all teachers out there who make learning fun, exciting and rewarding for your students. You are setting up so many children to advance their futures by furthering their education, by wanting to learn whatever they can.

A special thanks to our very special teachers and their teams in both the Wake County School District in North Carolina (Weatherstone Elementary and Cary Elementary) and to our past teachers in the Williamson County School District in Tennessee (Fairview Elementary). You guys are wonderful, wonderful people, and there's no way to thank you enough for all you've done.