Parent/Teacher Conferences

Parent/Teacher conferences are often dreaded.  Not because of  sitting down and meeting with parents.  I quite enjoy that!  I think it's more about the daunting 12 hour days you have to work.  12 hours of talking.  12 hours of being "on".  While I always enjoy the time I get to spend with my students and their families, I always worry that I'm not prepared or that I don't know everything I need to about a particular student.  And I'm always extremely nervous!

Because I always want to remember the special way God blessed me this year, I going to share the absolute sweetest email I got from a dear friend.  I opened this email on Thursday.

"I've been thinking of you and praying that you will have strength and that all will go smoothly as you sit down with your kids' parents. I am hoping that you know just how amazing you are as a teacher and that you have heard LOTS of words of affirmation from those parents. Praying you through today and into your weekend tomorrow!"

To say that I was touched was an understatement.  These words made me feel so loved and encouraged.  And let me tell you, God answered their prayers in such an amazing way.  For the first time in eleven years of teaching, four parents cried that evening as sat down to meet.  They poured their hearts out with some of the nicest, most flattering, affirming things I've heard as a teacher.  As I heard each different parent share what was on their heart I knew that God was encouraging me, answering the prayer of my dear friend. 

I know I've blogged about this year and the struggles it's brought in a couple of different posts.  As I was listening to these parents, I heard God reminding me that I have the students I'm supposed to have.  They are not in my room by accident, but because they were meant to be.  It's exactly what I needed to be reminded of.  It doesn't matter that behavior and academic ability weren't divided fairly among the grade level.  There's a bigger picture, and I'm praying that I never miss an opportunity!