An Open Letter (We Wish We Could Send) To Parents

Dear Parents, 

Please don’t read this letter and think “ingratitude.” We really do appreciate the donuts in the teacher’s lounge or the carefully orchestrated notes from students, expressing their thanks. These things are good and appreciated, and will fuel teachers to finish well and finish strong. Keep ‘em comin’. 

There’s something else that teachers really want. It costs you nothing, but it means everything. Teachers want your respect. They want to feel like you really do trust them with this great calling of educating the next generations for citizenship and success. They want to feel that their efforts to reach out to under-resourced students, to come up with new and fresh lesson plans, and to make sure your student has all the tools they need to succeed do not go unnoticed. Mostly, they want to know that you view them as a person, doing their best.

Parents, this one is so easy for you to do. The next time your teacher sends out a mass email to parents explaining some new assignment or detailing the plans for Field Day, take your index finger and click that button in the email marked “Reply.” If you’re feeling really fancy, copy the teacher’s supervisor. And then… “Thanks for taking the time to keep us informed. We appreciate you.”

Sign it.

Send it.

That’s all it takes, but it makes such a difference. You see, teachers rarely hear from the parents who are happy with them. We’re all busy and unless you’ve got a problem, why send an email?

When a teacher’s inbox is full of emails from the 1.5% of disgruntled parents, while the other 98.5% remain silent, it’s easy to feel like the opinion of the few holds sway over the many.

Teachers balance precariously on a 3-legged stool of pleasing administrators, parents, and students. It’s rare that all 3 sides are equally pleased. It’s time that the unheard majority, those who have little to no beef with a teacher, speak up. Appreciating Teachers one week out of the year? Totally appropriate. But showing them that you respect their time and their efforts throughout the year? 

Well, that beats a Starbucks gift card any ol’ day.

Sincerely, 

Your favorite exhausted teacher