A friend posted a picture of her son at the mailbox in a rain storm, an expectant smile on his face. The reason this 8-year-old braved the weather was to retrieve a letter that contained the names of his classmates and, most importantly, his teacher for the upcoming school year.

I remember driving to Pecan Grove Elementary on the day the class lists were posted. There was always a crowd of parents and children there, everyone scanning the list of students in each class.

My boys wanted to see if they were in the same class as their friends. I wanted to see what teacher would be influencing and spending every day with my children.

 

A Positive Experience

When it comes to creating a positive school experience, we often think of a classroom that’s brightly decorated or has the latest and greatest technology tools. Those cosmetics don’t really matter when it comes to creating a memorable and positive school experience.  

What’s most important is that teachers, students and parents bring a positive and open attitude into the classroom, starting in kindergarten.

Elementary school teachers lay the foundation for how a child perceives school for the rest of their lives. The teachers who love what they do, love their students and teach them to love learning are a gift better than any elaborate bulletin board.

Middle school and junior high educators have to work a little harder to encourage learning. Their charges are morphing from energetic little boys and girls into often-moody young girls and boys. Their hormones are raging and they want to rebel.

These teachers must rein in those physical demons, smiling all the while. They have to connect with students and show them that learning is still fun, even if they’re now designing a virtual farm instead of planting a bean in a Styrofoam cup.

High school teachers, remember that you are the last chain in the link of public education. You are the one who must prepare young men and women for life. You’re building on a foundation that is sometimes shaky, sometimes cracked.

 

A Joint Responsibility

Your job, however, is to make sure your charges believe they can still achieve their dreams. Much like the elementary teachers, you must smile every day and make your classroom a vibrant center of nurturing, positive discipline and encouragement.

Few of us can remember the academic details of our time in a classroom. What we do remember is if the teacher liked us, how he or she treated us and what he or she taught us about life. If that teacher had a zest and enthusiasm for their subject, chances are good we caught that fire.

Teachers, we are entrusting you to teach our child, the baby we rocked for hours during colicky nights, the young child who bravely stepped onto a school bus on the first day of kindergarten and the teenager you see as an adult but whom we still see as our baby. You have our most precious asset in life.

Parents, it’s not just the teacher’s task to make sure your child does well in school. You are the most important cheerleader your child will ever have. Constantly encourage your child to learn, and they will love learning all their lives.

Education is a four-way stop between parents, teachers, students and the community. If we can support each other and remember we’re all on the same journey to educate, illuminate, encourage and prepare young people for life, that’s the absolute best we can do.

This column was originally published in The Fort Bend Herald.