Thanksgiving was a busy week. I had all my kids at home, including two from college. We spent a lot of time cooking, cleaning and playing games (which caused a few fights). Now that everyone is back at school and the house is quiet, I want to share my thanks.

I am grateful for the many educators and administrators who devote their life to teaching. From kindergarten through 12th grade, each one of my children will have been taught by over 50 different teachers. It will take more than 350 different teachers just to teach my family!

From parents everywhere, I want to say thank you to the teachers. Thank you for choosing to become a teacher. Thank you for recognizing the value of education. Thank you for understanding the importance of one student. Thank you for having patience with grouchy teenagers, loud middle schoolers and distracted elementary kids. Thank you for shaping young minds and helping children succeed in life.

Here are some of the wonderful things you have taught my kids;

1. The importance of filling each other’s bucket. Acts of kindness are like drops in a bucket. Filling other people’s bucket brings happiness.
2. How to jump ‘double dutch’ and how to play clapping games at recess. We all need recess, exercise and fun games with friends.
3. Idaho history; I didn’t grow up here, but thanks to all of the fifth-grade teachers, my kids and I know a lot about the Mountain Bluebird and the Hagerman Horse.
4. How to play the French horn. I never would have taught my son that!
5. How to write a persuasive paragraph (it almost convinced me to bring home a puppy).
6. Life skills, like how to write a resume and interview for a job.
7. Making Military History class fun, by letting the students make their own cardboard armor.
8. How to learn and grow from failure, even if it’s a fourth-grade spelling test.

Teachers everywhere, thank you.

What are some of the important/fun things your kids have learned from their teachers?