It is that time of year again, when we are all running around trying to get our rooms together, our activities planned and materials gathered! It is the time of year when we are refreshed and stressed, excited and nervous!
You may be thinking why did she name this post #teachsmall. Well, #teachsmall is the hashtag that Remind is using to show their appreciation for all that we do. For all the small things that we do. Yes we do a lot but it is the small things that make the biggest impact.
It is the phone call you make when you know a family is having trouble! It is the extra email you send when the child is not acting themselves and you are keeping the parent informed. It is the reminders you send when it is close to a special day to make sure the students have someone there!
Communication goes a long way! Remind helps us with this!
I am a twenty one year veteran and I have dealt with many families over the years! I believe in open, honest and constant communication. I believe in all forms of communication.
As educators, we communicate with many families and we have impacted many. Not often do we know the actual impact we have made.
I am fortunate to know of an impact I made by doing just what I felt any other teacher would do if they had this child. I never thought that a simple act of kindness would make an impact as large as mine did 16 years ago.
I was teaching in Savanna, Georgia. I had a little boy in my Kindergarten class. During the year, his family suffered a loss. They lost a family member and their home in a fire all in the same week. Now this family did not have much money and I knew that living in a hotel was way beyond their means. I paid for a night of their hotel and I brought a meal to them hoping this would lighten their stress a little. I never expected the gratitude that I received. 16 years later, I have received cards and letters as well as an invitation to his college graduation! Every letter always ended with Your Kindness has kept us going and made my son who he is today!
We must remember that it is the small things that make the largest impact. Thank you Remind for reminding us of this important message! So please share on all forms of social media all the small things that make an impact. Use the #teachsmall!
Enjoy the video that you can find on the Remind website. Click on the remind logo to watch it!
Hey, Cindy! Your post is so true!! This was my first full week back and I have to tell it was very tiring and exhausting gettin my little kinder cubs adjusted to life at our school. Wednesday was like my most exhausting day of all! After I left the school that evening I had to stop by the store. When I was checking out, a parent of a child from 8 years ago, stopped and asked if I was Mrs. Groce and then went on to say what an impact I made on their family with all the little things I did. Then, she named off things that I had done that year. Tears welled up in my eyes and I went to tell her how much I appreciated her letting me know that. She blessed my socks off at that moment for sure!
ReplyDeleteCommunication is so very important and vital. I know that it is more difficult to communicate in all different ways to parents. But just like kids, parents need differentiation, too! Sorry for the long comment, but I appreciate the post and wanted to let you know that it is so true!! Thanks again!!