Yore the Best Techer, and other notes from the Happy Files

I have a file of notes students and parents have written me over the years.  Whenever I'm discouraged, I pull them out, reread them, and think "Oh, yes, that's why I teach."  (Not that I'm discouraged now... I just found them all when I was reorganizing.)  Enjoy!

you are the best P.E. teecher. and the best therd grade teecher. frum J.

Dear Miss A., i'm sorry I argued with you.  I made a big mostake! and im sorry I have to argue about almost everything.  I will work on that!  K.  (included a picture labeled: "me & You Not arging")

Dear Miss A., I remeber the banna spilt party it was very fun.  Your student, Q.

Dear Miss A., The room is very small. [note: written by a fourth grader after leaving my class]  Every boady is being wild avcors.  But I gesus youw coruld have gested that.  Good bye you ancient thing yuo. A.

Dear Miss A., You are the Best teacher in the school! Ther are meny beuootefel wimen in the werld and youare one of them.  sind -- your secrit eadmiyerer

Dear Miss A., I am sory I acsudentely hit Mrs E. on the bottum with my recordr.  I was swinging it back and fourth wen she backed into it.  Sinseerly, K.

Dear Miss A., I have been working on math and you have help me so much.  bie the way your nefew Joshua is very handsome.  Your student, M.

Dear Miss A., I'm going to miss the class.  I will miss the cany jar.  It was the best thing in the class room.  Do we the FORTH grade still get candy in the morning or do you think it would make us very highpers.  Love, K.

Mrs. A good luke with all of the boys.  I am glade we stell get to come to your class and get jellie beans.  Jolly Good work!  Love, J.

Dear Miss A,  I miss you so much.  I'm at Camp and I'm having a great time.  (I'm lying a little) Love, A.

Miss A, Rember in third grade phonics class you said there was no word that had a q that did not have a u after it.  I found one!  Qartar  Ha!  K.

Waiting for Superman

Apparently, I can't write only about foster care, without writing about teaching too.  Teaching is as much my passion as parenting is.  Just as fostering is about rescuing those children who have been harmed by their parent(s) choices, for me teaching is about reaching those children who would otherwise be sidelined -- the timid children, the naughty ones, those that find learning harder, the advanced children who beg for more challenging learning.  I love teaching!
I watched Waiting for Superman last night.  (I know I'm a little late to the conversation, but I'm cheap and had to wait for the library to get it in.)  Wow.  The light of day reminded me that I do have children, a house, a dog, and a fish; I can't really just pack up and move to the inner city to make a difference teaching in a lousy school.  But let me say:  it is a crime that children have to enter a lottery in order to get a decent education.  It is a crime that for every one child who succeeds, ten children are sent back to their failing schools.  It is a crime that the child who wants desperately to learn and grow is held back by poor teachers who cannot be fired.  It is a crime that great teachers, who are making a difference in the lives of children -- especially in the lives of children who have no other options -- can be let go before poor teachers who have been babysitting for decades.  If we must keep poor teachers, send them to teach in upper-class schools, schools where the parents have other options.