A Letter To My Educator Parents
Dear Mom and Dad,
Constantly meeting people in college has forced me to answer the question “What do your parents do?” quite often. “They work in education,” I say. “Well actually, my entire family does, or did at one point.” Because of you, I’ve stepped into way more schools than my own and learned the importance of being a lifelong learner. I continue to take those steps but reflect upon how having educators as parents has advanced me to where I am today.
Everyday Life
I can’t think of a dinner conversation that didn’t involve what we learned that day at school, hilarious things students said or did or the fact that one of you wouldn’t be at dinner Thursday because of a PTA meeting or AR night. These conversations still resonate with me, as I ask myself each night what I learned throughout the day. If I have to stop and think too long, I know I need to be more open to experiences and opportunities tomorrow.
Because of you, I’m really good at memorizing what acronyms stand for. Maybe it’s just the education sector, but I can drop an acronym like nobody’s business. PEP, STEM, RC, CTE, PTA, ELL, PBIS, AR, SIT — the list goes on and on.
Thank you for instilling in me the importance of communication. Although sometimes I was your personal secretary, crafting work emails on your BlackBerry from the passenger seat, you made sure I knew the significance of engaging in real conversations with others. This still stands. Sometimes I act annoyed that you call every day; other times you’re surprised I call you first. Nevertheless, you continue to teach me that communication is fundamental to any relationship.
Vacations
Our vacations have always been educational. You taught me learning doesn’t just happen in a classroom. While my friends went on cruises to tropical places, we spent our time at national parks and museums. The one time we went on a cruise we still found ourselves at an ecological park learning about wildlife and ancient ruins. (How did I not see that coming?) We climbed a 252-foot stone monument just because it commemorated the first landfall of the Pilgrims in 1620. I’ll never forget the night we booked our flights to Yellowstone instead of taking a trip to Hawaii. You insisted it would be fun, and like almost everything in life, you were right.
School and Goals
Because of you, I hold myself to a very high standard. You expect a lot out of me 1) because you know what it takes to succeed in school, but 2) because you believe in the power of learning. School for me isn’t a zombie act, simply going through the motions; it’s a time of trying, failing, growing then succeeding. You are there every step of the way, encouraging me to take the next leap.
When it came time to decide where to go to college, you didn’t try to sway me one way or the other. The fact that I was continuing my education was the important thing — although I’m almost positive you wanted me to go to UNC for journalism. Funny how things work out, don’t they?
Advice
Sure we fought, but only about pesky things. I remember in middle school yelling “I just want to be normal” in reference to high expectations. You told me I would never be normal, and to never strive to be. “Normal is boring; why be ordinary when you can be extraordinary?” I’m convinced all of these wise (and very cheesy) quotes were from a professional development book you were reading— regardless, they worked.
So, Thank You
With the current state of education, many aspiring teachers are looking into alternative career paths. You didn’t. You still don’t. Money doesn’t motivate what you do, nor will it ever. You inspire me to be more, do more, seek out what makes me happy and act upon it. You devote your life to cultivating the minds of future generations. Because of it, I’m forever changed.
Love,
Jane