To the Educators Returning to School

Dear Educator,

As summer comes to a close, I know you are nervous, excited, or a mixture of both. But if you haven’t been reminded how important and integral you are to this growing generation, allow me to do so as you begin a new year. There are a couple of things you need to remember:

1. Remember that kids need love. This is the most important thing a teacher can offer a student- not content or standards- but love. You and I are no strangers to the fact that many of these kids never experience love at home. Offer it unconditionally. Offer it often. Offer it willingly. If a student learns nothing but that they are loved before they leave your respective school building, that’s a win. We also know kids learn from those they love and trust. Be the person in your building who shows kids that consistently.

2. Remember that kids need grace and mercy. Often, I teach life skills more than I teach English. One of those is the application of grace. Many of these students have only faced anger and harsh consequences when committing a wrong. Show grace when they don’t deserve it. Offer forgiveness even when they don’t ask for it. These kids need role models who will demonstrate freely given grace. When they see it from you, they will show it to others. Give grace as freely and as often as Jesus did.

3. Remember your coworkers are on your side. They may not always be your cup of tea, and you may not always get along. But, we have one common goal: to love students and to educate them while we’re at it. Refrain from speaking ill about your colleagues. Walk away from gossip. Choose to speak life about others only.

4. Remember you are important and you matter. This job is not easy. It’s arguably one of the most difficult professions with a low retention rate. We know this. We knew it wouldn’t be easy. And sometimes we need to be reminded just why we do what we do. Daily, you and I enter a classroom full of different personalities, backstories, traumas, and talents. We have to manage them into a working environment so we can love and teach. Today, at our district meeting, we were reminded each of us remembers our favorite teacher. Why? Because they impacted us. They changed our lives. Remember you can do that with your students. You can be that teacher. That’s why you matter! You may be the only one cheering them on. You may be the only one who sees their talents, who offers them encouragement, who asks them about their day. Don’t stop. Kids needs us, whether they want to believe it or not. Remember, we didn’t want to believe it when we were in school.

The truth is, kids need us. But, we need them too. They learn from us, but we learn from them too. Make this school year the best one yet. Love like Jesus and offer grace and mercy to everyone. You are important! The next generation grows from you. Shape it responsibly as though it matters more than anything because it is so crucial.

Sincerely,

A Fellow Educator