As I drove my son home from youth, he inquired about how my last Parent-Teacher conference had gone.
For nineteen years I have attended these meetings. Depending on the year, and the child who I was inquiring about, I have attended these meetings with a variety of emotions from joy, to dread, to surprise. I have left these meetings with thanks.
After hashing out the conversations and comments with my son, I found myself reflecting on the end of this era.
I work in a high school as an Educational Assistant, and take great pride in the work I do. But, I am not a teacher. Working in the school system, alongside of professional teachers has given me immense respect for those who teach our children.
Their job is an impossible task!
They are required to become experts in their fields, imparting their knowledge equally upon the eager, the disinterested, and the antagonistic.
They are expected to teach information that is advanced and relevant in our technological world, with antiquated tools and self-taught skills.
They have to fill the roles of disciplinarian, counsellor, parent, physician, and educator.
They are expected to regularly take courses to upgrade their knowledge, deal with curricular changes, attend meetings (often not within a regular work day), coach, mentor and facilitate extracurricular activities, along with the pressure of expectations of administration and the parent community.
Having had our children in private, Christian schools, means that their teachers, though still expected to have the same (or greater as Christian perspective courses are regularly being upgraded) education, training and professional development, do not earn incomes as high as their professional counterparts.
Though there are challenges, struggles, high expectations and low renumeration, they show up,
every
single
day,
and they teach.
I have had the joy of watching these committed professionals laugh, challenge, teach and even pray for my kids and their friends. I have heard them voice concern, share heart-warming stories and agonize over students who work so hard, yet still do not pass tests. I have seen their faces, their smiles, heard their genuine welcome when a student from years gone by stops in for a visit.
There is little left to say, other than
thanks, we noticed your efforts.
“A teacher affects eternity;
he can never tell where his influence stops.”
Henry Adams
itsawonderfilledlife 