It’s those weeks leading up to the first day of school, and you’re anxiously checking to see what teacher your child is going to have for the upcoming year. After all, this person is someone who will play a big role in the next 10 months and could affect whether your child loves going to school each day — or dreads it entirely.
Without fail, at the end of every July, social media pages are filled with nervous parents posting, desperate for any feedback on the teacher assigned to their child. Whether this is your first child, starting Kindergarten and leaving the nest for the first time, or if you’ve done this a time or two, it’s normal to want to know whatever you can about this person responsible for educating the most important person in your life. Usually, there are comments about how this teacher is amazing and how much their child loved that other teacher, but once in a while, you see the comments letting the parent know that they have a brand new teacher.
Doubt starts to kick in. Can this inexperienced person really be the best teacher for my son or daughter? This completely natural reaction can cause you to go into “Meet the Teacher” night a little hesitant, guarded, and even angry or negative. As a mom myself, I get that desire to protect our children, to want the very best for them! But as a first-year teacher myself, let me ease some of your fears.
I may not have years of teaching under my belt, but I can promise you that I am going into this school year with an equal desire to make it a success. I can promise you that I am like a sponge, soaking up any knowledge I am given, and bringing in my own new and exciting ideas and activities. What I lack in experience I make up for with passion and a real love for the students.
I’ve written before about the struggles that go along with entering education at a time when so many are leaving the field, yet I am still willingly choosing this. I have spent the last few years of my life learning everything I can so that I can be the best possible teacher I can be. I have dedicated that time to getting to know students, researching new and exciting resources, and of course, reading about well-established effective practices, and asking my coworkers no less than 1 million questions, each. I have spent countless hours preparing for my classroom and too much money to speak of on items I believe will make the classroom feel like a home and a comfortable place to learn.
New teachers are some of the most wide-eyed and bushy-tailed people you can find in a school building, and that excitement can be harnessed into one of the most exciting school years your child will ever have. Just like you may have been waiting for this first day of school, I have been waiting for my first day as a teacher since I was a little girl. I have poured my entire heart and soul into being a teacher. Trust me when I say that nothing is more important to me than your child succeeding in my classroom.
At the end of the day, all this new teacher can ask is that you don’t count us out before we have a chance to prove what we can do. Let us newbies pour into your child and give it our all, and in return be a supportive parent. Together we can achieve amazing things for these kids!
Our “Dear Parent, From a Teacher” series helps parents obtain the tools and insight to ensure a successful school year for their children. If you are a teacher who wishes to write a guest blog for this series, please email your topic to [email protected].
