In Celebration of Teacher Appreciation Week

So you may have heard that this week is Teacher Appreciation Week. Designated in 1953 by the National Parent Teacher Asssociation with the first Tuesday set aside for Teacher Day, this week is all about recognizing and appreciating the hard work that goes into educating our children every day. Little mama is only three months old, so we're a ways away from personally recognizing teachers (if you're looking for ways to show your appreciation, check HERE or HERE) but I wanted to take the time to remember my favorite teacher, Ms. Cowles.

Ms. Cowles taught sixth grade English at Wuerzburg American Middle School when we were stationed in Germany and she was AMAZING! You know that teacher that helped you learn to appreciate Math or nurtured your love for science experiments? Mrs. Cowles was that teacher for me. I was this shy kid who loved to read, loved to write, and once she discovered that, she strongly encouraged both passions. She would suggest books for me to read and even helped me submit a short story I'd written for class in a writing competition for kids at Wuerzburg and the surrounding bases. Though it was a super fun experience (they had workshops that you could attend for creative writing) I didn't win and I remember my Mom told me Ms. Cowles was genuinely upset on my behalf; she swore with an almost maternal intensity that mine had been the best short story submitted.

We were assigned an especially memorable project that year; we had to create a scrapbook with pictures and stories detailing our lives up to that point. I think everyone else was crying about how much work it would be, but my Mom and I had so much fun with that project! We gathered tons of pictures and she regaled me with hilarious stories about me and my siblings that she thought might be fun to put in the book. I think that was most enjoyable homework assignment I've had. And later, during my Senior year when my AP English teacher assigned a similar project for our class, I was already prepared and knew what to expect!

Several years ago, I reconnected with Ms. Cowles on Facebook. I can tell from her Facebook posts that she's still the kind of teacher that makes learning fun and encourages her students to explore their interests and widen their horizons. Now, with a kid of my own, I appreciate my sixth grade experience even more and fervently hope that my little lady will have similar teachers throughout her scholastic experience. Remember to take the time to appreciate your kids' teachers not just during this week, but throughout the year, ESPECIALLY if they're anything like Ms. Cowles. Having had the pleasure myself, I can tell you that a teacher that good is not only a rarity but definitely a game-changer as far as how your kids view learning and teachers in general. 

Do you have a positive teacher-student experience you'd like to share? Sound off below!

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