Day 14

Day 15  
Let's try that again.  Usually I'm a day behind, but apparently I got ahead of myself this time.
Day 14

Today I am thankful for teachers.  The teachers I had as a child, both at school and church have shaped who I am today.  My fourth grade teacher was amazing.  I cannot remember exact details, but I know she allowed me to be creative and encouraged me.  As a present, two of my friends and I made a memory book for her where we compiled entries from each of our classmates in secret.  I have no idea what was in that book, but I know I was proud of it.

My high school English teacher taught me the mechanics of a five paragraph essay, introduced me to many literature classics and drastically improved my writing skills.  I have used those writing skills on a regular basis since high school.  I was in the last class that he taught before he retired.  Even as a highschooler, I knew he was an amazing teacher and would be greatly missed.  In honor of his pending retirement and the sheer volume of reading he had us complete, two friends and I filled his lawn on Halloween night with tombstones titled with all the books on his class reading list.  We spent a lot of time making those tombstones and setting them up.  

My typing teacher was a drill sargeant about having us type without looking at the keys.  At the time, I thought it was a silly class.  There is not a day that goes by where I don't use those typing skills. It was one of the most useful classes I ever took.

I still keep tabs on what my Sunday School and Pioneer Club teachers are up to these days and I love going home to visit the church where I grew up and seeing those women who poured their time and energy into me when I was a child and teen.

About a month ago, a 30-something year old man said something to my mom about how Mr. and Mrs. Prochaska (my grandparents/her parents) liked him as a kid.  He remembered that they taught him first and second grade Sunday School.  More importantly, he remembered that they loved him.

Its amazing the impact that teachers can have on your life.

Now that I'm a mom, I'm seeing the other side of it.  I'm seeing people who invest in my children on a daily or weekly basis.  I'm seeing how they shape my children.  At first as a mom, its scary to give that control over to someone else, but the benefits of a good teacher in their life is huge.  They are able to teach and tell them things that my children wouldn't believe from me.  My kids may be young, but they already exhibit that idea teenage attitude that something I tell them is irrelevant from time to time, but if another adult/teacher tells them the same thing, it must be true.

I'm thankful for both of their kindergarten teachers.  They are sweet, but firm.  They are already challenging them to work harder and push to read new goals when it comes to math and reading.  At the same time, they are positive and encouraging.

I'm thankful for their Awana leaders who give up their Wednesday nights to come to church and be excited to spend time with my kids, listen to them recite verses, and teach them more about God's love.  I'm thankful for their Sunday School teachers that show up early on Sunday mornings and are happy to see them and teach them detailed Bible stories.  I'm thankful for their Promiseland small group teachers and children's pastors that are energetic and show up each week to pour themselves into my boys.

I'm thankful for these teachers and the many hours they spend being with my children.  I'm thankful for how they are shaping my boys into being boys of integrity.  I'm thankful for the Biblical knowledge that is being passed along to them, the self-esteem that is being built in them and that they are making learning fun and relevant.