Teacher Appreciation 2014

In years past, I was very generous and creative the entire week of Teacher Appreciation week.  I didn't feel as generous this year. I've been extremely disappointed with the lack of compassion and understanding shown to my sons this year. 

One teacher has wanted the boys out of her room from the beginning of the year and to be honest, I asked for them to be moved before school started. The principal and the district wouldn't allow the move.
In meetings she made comments about how Gabriel needs a different placement. She never shares positive information with us. Alex has been left behind in his classroom twice. (Not a great thing for a seven year old with anxiety.) Worse yet, the teacher didn't bother to tell me that she lost my child.
These are the same teachers who asked me to keep Gabriel home from his Christmas play. He spent two hours sobbing in my arms that night and I missed out on watching Alex at the play. So, appreciation is something that's tough to show these two individuals who haven't stepped up to make my sons a priority.  

In the beginning of the school year, I borrowed library books for Alex that were second grade level. I didn't realize that the kids in the accelerated class were reading higher level books. Instead of explaining it to me, she assumed that Alex couldn't do it.  I quickly borrowed the fourth grade chapter books and he's devouring them. 

The boys wrote short thank you letters to their teachers. I think it was very telling when neither child wrote much on their card this year.  Other years the boys couldn't stop decorating and talking about their love for their teachers. So I say, "shame on these teachers for not finding the goodness and love in my sons."  They are wonderful children and deserved the teachers attention like the other kids. 

Instead of my week long gift giving, I got six gifts, one for each teacher who works with the kids  The largest gift was for Gabriel's aide who works hard for him and wants him to succeed.