An Open Letter To My Daughters Fourth Grade Teacher.

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An Open Letter to My Daughters Fourth Grade Teacher,

I watched you today, at the awards ceremony for our dear students. 

I am a noticer. I notice things. I notice hard things, beautiful things, hidden things and quiet things. Really, I notice everything. 

Today, I noticed.

I must be getting old, because I struggled to keep the tears back in my daughters fourth grade awards. I am not a crier. When I am proud I just smile. When I am sad, I get quiet. I am usually too busy cracking jokes with my husband to even be very serious at awards. However, today was different. It was different because when I walked into the room and awards began, there wasn’t just a teacher at the front of the room…..there was a mom… a mentor… a role model… a light. The whole mood was different. You barely noticed we were in the room, as you were too busy noticing our children.

You exuded kindness, compassion and light. You treated each child as if they were your own. You treated each child with respect, looking them in the eyes and embracing them.

I was privileged to sit in your awards ceremony today dear teacher. 

You made a difference today dear teacher. 

You saw every single one of those children today dear teacher.

You looked each one of them in the eye and took extra time to notice their light. 

You talked about their light as if there was no one else in the room but them.

You didn’t miss a beat dear teacher.

Being seen is a gift. Not every teacher is capable of seeing a child. But when it happens, magic follows. When you take the time to see a child for who they are behind what they present to you, then you take the time to make an imprint on their lives forever. 

My eyes brimmed with tears as I watched your students wait to be seen, and then their faces light up as you saw each and every one of them for the gifts they possess. 

I noticed something different in your class today dear teacher, no one was invisible in your class. I have been in many classrooms where every child gets an award. This one was different. They didn’t just receive a piece of paper. They received a moment. They received a moment of light in that room today. You took the time to unearth what sets them apart one by one in front of the whole room.

No one’s light went unnoticed.

No one’s face looked empty…because they are used to being seen by you.

They knew something I didn’t….they knew that you wouldn’t forget them. 

They knew you wouldn’t miss them. 

They knew they mattered to you. 

They knew you saw them.

They sat and waited until it was their time to shine….because they knew their turn was coming.

In life, our turn doesn’t always come. The light doesn’t always get shined upon us and things don’t always turn out the way they are supposed to.

So thank you dear teacher for seeing them today and everyday. Thank you for shining a light on them this year for their own precious gifts they possess.  Thank you for noticing their character.  Thank you for noticing their hard work. Thank you for noticing what’s behind their laughter, their tears and their behavior.  Thank you for seeing them dear teacher. This may be one of the few times in their lives that the light is upon them. Thank you for sharing it equally today and everyday.

Your job is hard dear teacher. We know this as adults. What we don’t always know is how much of your heart you give everyday. Thank you for sharing your heart dear teacher, for without it, we struggle to see our reflection in you. Thank you for sharing your light, for that may be the only light we see. Thank you for making an imprint on their hearts, not just their minds, for that will ripple for years to come.

Thank you for teaching, modeling, mentoring and loving our children.

With love,

A Grateful Mom.