I just finished writing a thank you note to Mr. President’s 1st grade teacher to thank her for all her hard work, patience and love for him this year.  It’s the first time I’ve been on the writing end instead of the receiving end and I balled like a baby as I wrote it.  It has not been an easy year for Ms. V.  She struggled with many of the same things in teaching Mr. President that I did and that led me to send him to public school rather than keeping him home and teaching him myself.  Because I have been a teacher and know how hard it is to teach some kids while still loving them and helping them to enjoy school, I appreciate her work more than the regular parent I think.  Because I know what that struggle is like as a public school teacher and as Mr. President’s mother, I just can’t thank her enough. 
The phrase, “Those who can’t, teach” has always bothered me because I know how much work good teachers put into their jobs and their students.  I have my beef with the public school system, don’t get me wrong.   I know there are many teachers who don’t work hard at all not to mention all the bureaucratic garbage that exists in the system.  And I still hope to someday try homeschooling again. But there are so many of us who can’t teach our own kids though we’d like to and it is a great blessing when you get a dedicated, loving teacher who is willing to work with your child even when it’s hard.  My little boy learned to read and love it this year.  He learned to love writing and he made some good friends.  I know there will be teachers who are not so loving and patient with my child.  He is a unique challenge.  But I’m grateful that for at least this first full year in school, he had a great teacher.  Thanks, Ms. V.