by Diana Remick, Monthly Columnist
The holidays come with mixed emotions for many. I know for me personally, I enjoy the time with my family. I long for sleeping in, resting, reading, playing, and creating. Somewhere in there I also prepare for another half of the school year!
I do however worry for so many of my students. Are they getting enough to eat? Are they staying warm? Are they alone or spending time with their families? Being a teacher means that you never quit caring or worrying about your “other children”. My wish for my students is simply that their basic needs are being met: food, water, shelter, clothing, and most importantly LOVE! I hope that special gifts come their way during the holiday seasons.
The Holidays: One Teacher’s Wishes
For the families that I work with, I wish for continued support both inside and outside of the classroom. For families who are unable to donate items or volunteer in the classroom, I appreciate the volunteer work done at home. I appreciate the families that read with their children, assist them with homework, and hold them accountable for their learning and their behavior! I wish for education to be a valuable component of their daily home lives.
For my colleagues, I hope that they rest and rejuvenate so that they can come back ready to take on the challenge of the daily demands of our profession. I wish for New Year’s resolutions to include respect, patience, and kindness to our students, families, and co-workers. I wish that they recognize the importance of our profession, the influence they have on their students, and on our future.
For the custodians, the cooks, the bus drivers, the secretaries, the school nurses, the librarians, the media specialists, the paraprofessionals, the coaches, the substitutes, and anyone else who works in and with the school system, I wish for caring hands and patience hearts as you work with the students and the adults!
For the administration, I wish for support in so many ways. I hope that they remember what it was like to be in the classroom and the daily demands that educators face. I wish that they spend time in their teachers’ classrooms and they learn from their new teachers as well as their master teachers. I hope that they will support their teachers by lending a hand, an ear, or a hug.
I believe that everyone appreciates the gifts during the holiday season. If you feel the need to give a gift for someone in the education system, keep it simple. Gift cards, homemade treats, and handwritten notes mean a lot and show your support and appreciation!
As for me, I do not need gifts during the holiday season. Kind words, hugs, and visits from former students and their families are enough for me! I wish you the very best of the holiday seasons!
About the Author
Diana Remick is the mother of three and a teacher of many! She lives by the quote by Erma Bombeck, When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, “I used everything you gave me”.
Kathy Anderson says
Thank you so much for your wonderful words. I teach in the inner-city of Denver, and have many students who dread having so many days off from school. School is their one constant, the place where they get two meals a day, and we send food home over the weekend to any family that asks. Every extended vacation we have, I worry about my students, and pray that they stay safe until they can come back to school.