and now a word for our teachers...

there are many people out in the world that are ready to bash the people that instruct our children daily.  and there are many teachers that do not take the responsibility seriously and fail to realize the impact that they have not only on a child for a year but a child for a lifetime and their entire family. 
as a former teacher i can admit that sometimes the daily maintence and sheer volume of bodies in the classroom can be a distraction and lead to careless mistakes that are fundamentally critical in a child's development.  my prayer is that my heart was made evident and that i did more good than harm.  but for the harm i caused, i pray for forgivness. 
teaching is a huge responsibility.  i will forever remember lady mcd orienting myself and other new teachers with james 3:1 that says, "not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly". i thought i understood the gravity of that statement as i instructed other's children but my understanding of the responsibility greatly evolved as i entrusted my own sweet babies to teachers other than myself. 
i suddenly understood how easily a teacher could mess up my kid. 

then i thought about calvary.  i thought about all the things that i always think about with calvary.  oh the thinks you can think :) 

i have posted before about all of my apprehensions about calvary and school.  and i have marvelled at how well he has transitioned into a classroom this year.  i have watched as he has been excited day after day to learn new skills and how he mind has evolved to learn even more on his own.  i have also been on the other end of phone calls from his teacher...not with news of problems, but with news of how well he has been doing. 

just the other day i sat with his teacher for his conference and she told me how she makes sure that every morning she goes through the schedule for the day so that calvary will know exactly what to expect at every part of the day.  she also told me that she has learned to decipher this "look" calvary gets on his face when he needs some time to difuse and she allows him to separate himself to the computers for a few minutes to gather himself.  she also told me that calvary has made great strides in communicating his needs with her (a huge step for him).  she told me that when he gets nervous he starts to pace in place almost like a boxer.  she also told me that he has a habit of jumping up and down when he is exceptionally excited or in need of talking with her.  she told me that he hates to get things wrong...but she is working with him to understand that as long as he tries his best he has done a great thing. 

as she spoke i felt the gratitude well up in my chest.  this teacher was an answer to my prayers.  you see, this entire year i have prayed that his teacher would see calvary for who he is...and i know without a doubt that this teacher knows calvary's heart.  she took the time to learn all about him. 

i wanted to tell her what a blessing she was to our life and as i did tears unexpectedly pooled up in my eyes.  i felt silly.  but this is my child.  this is my son whom i have loved before he was even born.  this is my son whom i have grieved my inability at times to understand, correct, or comfort.

what a gift she has been not only to my son but to our entire family.