During the 2020–2021 school year, I chose to homeschool my children. At the time, they were ages 4 and 8 and in preschool and third grade. While I never intended to be a homeschool mom, it was the right decision for us amid the ongoing pandemic. That said, as soon as I knew the kids in our school district would be able to go back to school full-time the following year, I registered them.
I've always had a great apprecation for teachers and educators, and their value, in my opinion, only increased after spending the better part of a year trying to balance work and homeschooling. Still, I was nervous leading up to my daughter's first day of kindergarten in particular. She had never had any formal schooling. Before the start of a pandemic, she attended an in-home preschool a few mornings a week, but by the time she started kindergarten, more than a year had past.
Would she be unhappy?
Being born after the cutoff, she was an older kindergartener, and would turn 6 a couple of months after school started. Plus, having spent most of her life socializing with just her parents and her older brother, she was already quite mature and independent for her age. She's also a fast learner, and we ended up starting kindergarten course work midway through her preschool year. By the end of that year, she was already working on some first-grade concepts, and I was nervous she would find kindergarten unfulfilling.
My kids' educations are so important to me, and I wanted her to get off on the right foot. Her first impression of school would set the tone.
Would she be bored? Would kindergarten be repetitive? Would she have trouble with the other kids? Well, for the first few weeks of school, the answer to all of the above was, yes. But it didn't last long, thanks to her wonderful teacher.
Here's a letter to my daughter's kindergarten teacher, Mrs. M:
Dear Mrs. M.,
I know it can't be easy to immediately recognize the individual needs of every student. Especially when you are teaching a classroom of nearly 20 5- and 6-year-olds who don't always know how to communicate well. I know you started the year in a hot classroom, wearing a mask, trying to discern everything each little voice was saying to you through their own face coverings. It must have been so challenging. But from day one, you showed up, not just physically at the school, but you were mentally and emotionally present in the classroom with your students as well.
You let us know you were there and wanted the best for our daughter, just like we did
You never minimized my concerns or made me feel bad for messaging you too often. You communicated and maintained an open discourse from the beginning. You met each of my concerns with kindness and patience. I'm so thankful that you were so accommodating and always took the time to address any issues that came up, no matter how silly.
I still remember asking you to stop allowing my daughter sweet snacks in the classroom, but telling you that certain snacks were fine, as long as I sent them in or they weren't sweet. As if you had the time to monitor everything she ate all day long! I laugh about it now, but I'm truly sorry for that. Thanks for trying!
Thank you for "seeing" her
Silly and inconvenient requests aside, you truly saw my daughter from the very start of the school year. Within just a couple of weeks, you recognized that her needs were different and you were up for the challenge, excited even. It meant the world to me when you promised to teach my little love at her level, rather than force her to put a cap on her potential.
That might have been easier for you, especially since during the first half of the school year, you were also dealing with any number of students being home under quarantine on any given day. I can't even imagine trying to manage a classroom of tiny people while facilitating online learning for such young students, sometimes several at a time. That alone was an incredible feat. After we ourselves experienced how you managed kids learning from home, I commend you.
You recognized her giftedness and fostered it
Still, despite all of the challenges, you were able to recognize her giftedness and fostered her development with care. Before I knew it, she was coming home with brand-new skills and reading fluently. I was so impressed each and every time she came home with a new reading or math skill. I may have started her off, but you definitely helped her connect all the dots.
You encouraged her and you challenged her to work hard, to grow and do her best work, each and every day. And you did it all with love, affection, patience, and kindness, and I couldn't be more thankful that you helped make her kindergarten year a successful one. She loves school and can't wait for first grade, even though she — and I — will miss you tons!
Sincerely,
A very grateful mom
