The Little Things.
For the first 18 years of my adult working career, I worked in the education field. I started out teaching in a portable trailer classroom in Clearwater, Florida in the 9th Grade Academy at Countryside High School. It was amazing and I wouldn’t trade that experience for anything. That was the year that I learned so much about education, public schools, and how incredible students are. CHS was not perfect - no school (public, private, or charter) is. But what I really learned was how much the little things matter. I had one student who consistently didn’t have pencils, for one reason or another. I kept a box of pre-sharpened pencils in our classroom just for him. Another teacher found out and felt that I was “enabling him”…but when it came to giving a student a pencil and him getting to work or getting into a power struggle about him “not being prepared”, I’ll choose all day, every day to just give the kid a dang pencil. At the end of the year, that very same student handed me a dandelion, looked me square in the eyes, and said, “Thanks Miss Smith. You’re the real OG for not getting mad about pencils. I found this flower for you.” There may or may not have been tears from me as he walked away. Little things matter, like a dandelion picked by a kid who gave what he had.
A Christmas present left on my desk one year from a very devoted Texas Longhorn fan!
Fast forward to recently, when my own son (who also struggles at times to keep up with his stuff), wanted to pick his teacher flowers on a walk after dinner. It’s wildflower season here in Texas, which means we’re enjoying our 6 weeks of Spring weather before the brutal heat of summer starts in May. We’re really trying to soak up the gorgeous evenings and since we tend to eat early (remember, elementary school starts at 7:20 in the Actual Morning…), we take 15 minutes to walk around the block after dinner. The wildflowers on some parts of the block are really blooming and thankfully, we have generous neighbors who don’t mind and know that our rule is pick one! Anyway, the Oldest found a couple of wildflowers, the Youngest found a couple as well and then proceeded to lose them so we looped around and got some extra steps in. It’s all just managing the chaos and for a good cause, right?! However, wildflowers are not the sturdiest flowers after you pick them from their plant so the plan to get them to said teachers in the morning was, at best, a precarious one. Enter, Plan B. Take pictures of the kids WITH the vibrant, blooming wildflowers and send them via email. What a time to be alive! I sent two emails, with quick notes of explanation to each teacher, and didn’t think much of it.
Pink Wine Cup wildflower, one of our favorites!
When the Little Things Become the Big Things
While grabbing a cup of coffee in my kitchen after the Morning Chaos whirlwind was complete, I checked my email where a response was waiting from one of the teachers. I don’t know exactly why this has struck me as so poignant other than I’ve been a teacher (for many years) and know how tiring and stressful this time of year is for educators. There’s literally a 100 things that are expected of you at any point in the day; there are state testing assessments to prep for and deliver; there are tiny humans and not so tiny humans on the verge of meltdowns because they have worked hard for 7 months and we are all just Very School Tired All. The. Time. And there is no tired like either beginning or end of school tired!
You are getting close to summer “break”, but know that there is a LOT that has to happen before then. So when I read this sweet teacher’s response of, “The flowers made it! I have to tell you the flowers and the picture of him with the flowers made my whole week, seriously. Thank you! And thank you for all of your support this year!” I just about cried. Actually, I’m pretty sure I did. Here’s why.
People. Listen. I have sent in approximately two boxes of tissues and one container of Clorox Wipes, mostly out of self-preservation to try and keep the germs at school! And yet this email that took me not even 30 seconds to write and send, prompted by my child who just wanted to do something kind for a teacher, was the thing that made her whole week. Not day. WEEK. It was a little humbling. I had a front row seat to watching how the Little Things became a Big Thing.
Two Things Can Be True
I am the first person to say that public schools, including the one our kids go to, are not perfect. I’ve had many (checks notes: too many to keep count of) meetings in which me and The Husband have advocated strongly for what is best for our children and at times fighting against policies held tight by the district leaders. I am someone who worked in a system that a lot of the time made no sense, but will still advocate that public schools serve such an important role in our communities. I say all that to lay the foundation for this: if you have educators in your life, they are the people to whom the littlest things matter the most. I would know because I was one for 18 years. And I can name specific times, places, and people for probably more hours than you care to listen about how Little Things became Big Things.
This was well before there were smart phones with decent cameras prevalent so hence the grainy photo. But aren’t we rocking our crazy socks for Red Ribbon Week?!
One of skills that I’ve learned in the last few years is how to hold onto two things being true at the same time. Today we are wrapping up National Teacher’s Appreciation Week, which is part of why I’m sharing this story. It is entirely possible to be frustrated with a system that doesn’t seem to really serve kids other than typically brain wired, compliant students. I can also still value and champion the adults who choose to show up every day, invest in my children, and build strong relationships with them. There are days where I seriously consider going back and serving on a campus because a piece of my heart and soul will always belong on one. And then there are days like today where I volunteer for Kindergarten lunch duty and want to spend the rest of the day in a quiet, calm space! Both things can be true. There are days where I miss working with students so very, very much. I miss the camaraderie that is so hard to duplicate outside of a group of teachers and educators. I also know with 100% certainty that I am exactly where I’m supposed to be right now, both professionally and personally as a Momma and wife.
Celebrating applying for my own Master’s Degree graduation right alongside wrapping up Senior Graduation Checks! A Big Thing for us all!
This week, and every week, let’s remember to thank, partner with, and support our educators. They face challenges that they’ve literally never faced before and most of them are able to do amazing things with only their creativity and sheer love of students and learning. While teachers appreciate (very much) things like gift cards and favorite snacks and supply refreshes, please don’t ever underestimate the power of the little things.