Teachers goodbye and gratitude

It's Monday again, which means it's time to write about my Magic Moment  the kid's Amazing Achievements, and my Reasons to be cheerful. Well, this week is a little bit different, because they hadn't happened yet. My magic moment and all will be on Tuesday, when I take the kids to school for their second to last day of school, and give my thank you presents to their teachers.

A card, a box of chocolate and a special Albinism Fellowship charm 

There were many discussions on the merits of teachers end-of-year presents, with many voices calling to relinquish this unnecessary expenditure. With people saying that teachers are "just doing their jobs", that "it has become a race of who will give the biggest and most expensive gift", that "it is just another way for parents to suck up to the teachers", and the like of those. I have to admit, I have pretty strong views on the subject (I admit, I have pretty strong views about pretty much everything), and might have even voiced those opinions on the web (in what I really hope was a dignified manner) and to Hidai (in what I know was less than dignified). My views stem from a few sources, mostly since I think that a little bit of gratitude and appreciation for the people who spend more hours a day with our kids than us isn't a bad thing. And from the fact that teachers aren't "just doing their jobs", at least our teachers never have. Each and every one of the teachers we had a chance to meet throughout Ron's academic years was wonderful. They all went way beyond their job description, and they are all cherished in my heart.
This year was no exception.
As you might know, we moved to London about a year ago and this was the kids' first year in a school in London, and as you might imagine we were quite worried and anxious about everything school related - did we choose a good enough school? the right school? will the kids find their place? have friends? be seen? will they enjoy the studies? be good? etc. We ended up choosing a school we hoped ticks all of our boxes, but you can never be sure, can you?
Our teachers this year, both young men in their twenties, both nice, kind, and sweet. Both gave my children attention, love, and a place they were happy to go to every single day.
Ron's teacher took a child that entered a class that has been learning together for the past three years and made him feel a part of it from the first moment. I've never seen him without a smile on his face and a kind word for every child and parent, and even for Yon; he acknowledged Ron's talents and gave him all the academic freedom and advancement he needs and wants, while helping us with Ron's hatred of being wrong, and fear of failure; he encouraged Ron, managed to teach him how to love reading and writing stories, and use his imagination; he included Ron in the school football team (that is intended for older kids), he was kind and patient, and saw our child from his first day at the school. And he told us at the end of year parents-evening that it was his pleasure to teach Ron, and that Ron has a great sense of humour :)

Yon's teacher saved him and us. It's as easy and as complicated as that. Yon's teacher was the first one to see Yon's behaviour as something more than just quirky, he was the one that gave us the shake and the nudge we needed to start researching Yon's condition in different directions from the ones the doctors gave us; he was the one who found us the outreach program who helps us; he was the one who worked with us day in and day out to improve the nursery experience for Yon; he is the reason that we are now starting Reception in a totally different state of assistance from the school. Yon's teacher is the kindest, loveliest, most loving teacher, maybe even person, we've ever met, and we will always be grateful for him.

It's not that everything was rosy, and every single day was a celebration of greatness. Our school has problems and downsides like any school, our teachers were sometimes too headstrong or too "system oriented" like any teacher. There was the time when we were upset with Ron's teacher for not acknowledging him in the merits system in the class, or the time we really wanted Yon's teacher to let go of the labels they all put on him. Or the many times when we were annoyed with the school's tendency to expect you to be able to just drop everything without notice and come in for an activity. Or their weird love for weekend homework.
But truth be told, when I got Ron's report card, filled with all the lovely words his teacher and head wrote, and when I went to Yon's graduation party, I felt that my kids both made exceptional advancement this year, that they are both not the same kids they were when they entered the school, and it is all due, in a very big part, to their teachers. They all had our back, they looked after our kids, they loved them and gave them and us the feeling that they are the only pupils they have. And I am sure each and every one of their pupils feels this way.
Maybe it's not a reason to be cheerful, but it is without a doubt a reason to be grateful.