That is how many days we have left of our Kindergarten year.
The days are long but the years are short. And you guessed it, I want to cry. As much as I am SOOOOO looking forward to the long, hot, long, hot, hot, long, days of summer with no real bedtime, camping trips, beach trips, libraries, splash pads, bike riding, pools, kitchen experiments, backyard sprinklers, kids spending time with relatives, summer camp, arts and crafts, sleeping late in the mornings and lots days of driving mom crazy at home, I am also really REALLY going to miss this year.
SC’s kinder teacher could not have been more perfect for our family. Remember how terrified I was of “real” school and “academics’? SC never had that before, she had not been in the states, she had not been in this type of environment. Would the Americans eat her alive? Nope. That kid held her own and then some. So, here is my heart-felt thank you to the best teacher ever:
Dear Ms. LB:
As this kindergarten year comes to a close, my heart is heavy knowing it is almost over but at the same time filled with joy knowing SC (and ALL of your Explorers) got off on the right start in your classroom. I was never a parent to “push” academics on my child and wanted her to be a kid for as long as possible in many areas besides just academics. You allowed her to play and explore the way children should. Guess what? She still learned. Not only did you quickly recognize the learning style of my child, but the style of 19 other children. Not only did you quickly recognize my parenting techniques, but the techniques of all the other parents. And you managed them all quite eloquently.
Every day you cared for my child as if she was your own. Each day she came home from school with a smile on her face, sharing (um, singing) something new she learned. Except for the days there was a sub. I didn’t hear much on those days. I saw first hand in your classroom how you challenged the kids; you made them go beyond their comfort zone and surprise themselves with their own abilities. I saw you be a counselor to those who had a hard time separating from their parents or were just having a bad day. I saw you work through physical pain. I saw you always put the children first.
This year has gone by too fast in my eyes. The amount SC has grown as a student is outstanding. You fed her craving for knowledge and knew her boundaries. She learned to be disciplined by you and respect you at the same time. The day of the Newton Shootings, I sat in horror, crying at my desk while trying to compose a short Thank You email to you for everything you do for our children. And now, on the heels of the deadly storms in Oklahoma, there is no doubt that you would have protected our children and taken charge to keep control of the situation to reunite students and parents. I see on a regular basis how much you love what you do and love each and every child in your class. You understand their dynamics, their needs and style of learning to help them do better. You recognize the feelings of these sweet little children and make them each feel so special and important. SC has come so far in a short amount of time and clearly developed a love of school. That is all I could have asked for. You have set the bar high for future teachers in my eyes; I am so thankful SC started off this way. You made this first academic experience such a pleasant experience for our entire family, which made it easy. You have also taught me much as a parent in a public school system; what to ask for and who to ask. We debated nap time and tests; you exhausted my cutting and stapling skills. And thanks to you, I can now add Ricoh, die-cutter and laminating machine to my list of skills.
Now, as summer is just (GASP) 10 school days away, I hope the public school Gods are good to us next year and we get the best of the best who understands SC the way you did. And while I am at it, I hope those same PS Gods send SJ your way. He already has a love for you and your classroom! I hope you enjoy a summer filled with travel, friends, family and relaxation, you deserve it. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for starting us on the right path of a love of learning!
xoxoxoxo
bfm
























