Reply #8: I've been very lucky with teachers, in both my kids' schools and my own [View All]

[renate]

Good teachers are like demigods to me. They pour so much of themselves into their work. And they have to be a different teacher to each student--some students are challenged by the work, some are bored, some have behavior problems, some are little angels, some are desperate for attention, some are desperate to be left alone... a good teacher has to be a good child psychologist and always alert to when kids aren't getting it or having problems. One of my kids is smart but did terribly in school--somehow (I don't know how) many of his teachers have taken the time to notice that the problem isn't due to a lack of ability but to a lack of effort and have spent a lot of time with us to try to help. How can they tell the difference, especially in an overcrowded classroom? And why do so many of them take the time to try to do something about it, when it'd be easier for them to just say "too bad, you aren't even trying"? Beats me. I love them to pieces. We've had bad teachers too (just a few), so I'm not defending all teachers (although none of them were deliberately cruel... they just shouldn't have been teachers)--but the good ones are very special to me. They make such a big difference in kids' lives, even if the kids can't always appreciate it at the time.

Thank you so much for what you do. :loveya: