This week is one of my favorites of the year! I absolutely love Thanksgiving. I don’t know how Thanksgiving works at your house, but at this house, the Elliotts relax and recharge! We spend these few days eating sinfully fattening Southern favorites like cornbread dressing, macaroni and cheese, and pecan pie. We play games, watch movies, laugh, and nap! Most important to our Thanksgiving rituals is the time we spend reflecting and verbalizing our thankfulness. We truly are so blessed!
I sat down to journal about the things I am thankful for this year and many special things came to mind such as: my family, my new daughter in love, the opportunities I have in my career, health, traveling, friends, etc. Then I began to reminisce about all the educators I have had the absolute joy of crossing paths with this past year. I started to smile because I am so honored to know you and collaborate with many of you in various capacities. I started thinking about why I am thankful for teachers. I decided to share my gratitude with you with my Top 10 Teacher Traits for which I am Thankful! I hope you see yourself in one or more of these descriptions. Thank you for all you do for students, colleagues, and families!
- I am thankful for teachers that find joy in simple things like reading a treasured book to students and have kids hanging on every word.
- I am thankful for teachers that see a million learning experiences and lessons in Target’s Dollar Shop!
- I am thankful for teachers that intentionally take time to cultivate positive relationships with students because they know it is the thing that truly lasts.
- I am thankful for teachers that still pause for teachable moments instead of dragging students through unrealistic pacing guides and schedules.
- I am thankful for teachers that let the kids do the work! These rock stars know how to get student buy in and then encourage the students to explore, create, and make the learning their own!
- I am thankful for teachers that think like a kid! They don’t overreact when a kid is just being a kid and they do their best to know what makes kids tick these days.
- I am thankful for teachers who see the big picture and don’t sweat the small stuff. No stressing here for these classroom warriors! They weigh everything against “Is this good for kids?”
- I am thankful for teachers who know who they are and don’t try to be someone they are not. They embrace their uniqueness and bring their passions into the classroom. You can’t beat that!
- I am thankful for teachers that even when they retire, they keep talking shop! They still keep looking for the perfect picture book and must have school supplies. They tell the best stories about past classroom disasters and they look younger now than when they taught. Isn’t that something!
- I am thankful for teachers that embrace the notion of “Don’t Let the Turkeys Get You Down!” Whether it is a ridiculous curriculum mandate, a grumpy colleague, or a distraught parent that seeks to sideline their progress; these teachers grab a latte, shake it off, and show up the next day to make magic happen in the classroom.
Thank you, friends! I am honored to be in this profession with you! Happy Thanksgiving!
