Teachers deserve an A for good work! (published on July 1, 2006)

At the end of another school year, as a parent with a graduate, I worry about what she has learned! Has she been taught to be kind, to work hard, to do what's right, to respect others and most of all has she been taught to say thank you!


My youngest son, Mitchell was protesting another family recital he had to attend and said, " All I do is sit.......and clap, sit.......and clap, sit......and clap!" (He included the actions!) It made us all laugh but I realized what a profound truth he was learning. Sitting still means to be quiet, to listen intently, to stay to the end (even if our child is done performing) and to be respectfully attentive.........clapping is about showing our appreciation, our praise and our gratitude for a job well done. In every performance, activity or situation in life we get to choose whether we will be good listeners and good clappers!

At this time I would like to really clap for the teachers my children have had this last year. How thankful I am as a parent for their hard work and dedication, for being there every day with my children! I am especially grateful to all the teachers and staff at Brocklehurst Secondary, in particular......Mr. Dinsdale, Mr. Aziz, Ms. Bewza, Mrs. Adams, Mrs. Dodd, Mrs. Finley and Mr. Sjokvist who have spent countless hours teaching classes, preparing my daughter for government exams, writing letters of recommendation and helping to make her grad year a wonderful, memorable one! How blessed I feel to know that Melodie is the person she is today because of the influence of these wonderful people in her life. I would also like to extend a big thank you to the staff and teachers at Parkcrest Elementary, especially Mr. Mitchell, Mrs. Armstrong, Mrs. Albinson, Mrs. Ellingsen, Mr. Naylor, Mr. Donison and Mrs. Cowden. They too have spent many hours with my two younger ones, (Rebecca and Mitchell), teaching, reading, disciplining, playing, guiding and taking them on field trips. All of these teachers and staff have been an example of kindness, selflessness and dedication to me. I hope we are not just sitting, but clapping for the real effort our teachers make to help our children be happier, better and brighter people. I believe strongly that if we teach our children to be grateful, to say thank you, then they will enjoy people in their life so much more and that people in their life will enjoy them. Happy clapping!!