No More Teachers... almost...

Can you believe the end of school is right aroundthe corner? In some ways it feels like it has flown by, and in others… well, let’s just say I’m happy to see the end of “home learning,” or as it was called in my house: January’s Snackathon.

With all they’ve been through over the last few years - kids who have forgotten how to be non-feral humans, online glassy eyed pupils (if their screens were on at all), masks and more masks - a well written thank you card may not solve all their ills and keep them from hitting the bottle, but it just may well put a little more pep in their step as they close that classroom door for the last time this year.


Here’s a quick guide to make writing that letter a breeze:

  1. Get your kids to handwrite the card. Not you, not your partner/grandparent/man in the street, but your kids. They were taught by the teacher, after all, so make them sit down and write it out.
    *Tell them it makes them smarter to write things by hand. 
  2. Start with “Dear ______________,” because we may be less formal these days, but everyone likes to get a fancy letter every now and then.
  3. Write a personal memory that starts with “Thanks.” Writing something specific and personal will go a long way to making that teacher feel like they did something right, after a few years where I am sure they felt like they were doing a lot wrong. (Ditto parents: ice cream cake for dinner is a-ok in my book) And hey, don’t skimp on this part. This is the key element. A couple of     sentences here gets a gold star.
  4. Sign off by wishing them a great summer. It’s a small thing, but it’s a nice thing.
  5. Deliver it by hand in an envelope. It’s all about the small things here, so bonus points for decorating the envelope or having your kid make the card themselves. 

I’ll give you an example to make it super easy (and let’s be honest, easy is about max capacity for me by the end of June):



Dear Ms. Smith,

Thank you for being a really funny teacher. I loved the riddles that you gave us every day, and think I even got one right. They made me laugh.

I hope you and your seven cats have a super summer lazing in the sun.

Sincerely,

Me


It’s short & sweet and personal.


And it’s done. 


Happy summer!

 

*ps- handwriting DOES, in fact, make your kids smarter than if they were just typing. It's true and I'll get nerdy about the science of it another time. For now, just trust me, and then tell your kids they got smarter writing. Younger kids eat that stuff up. 

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