Dear Family, Friends, and Significant Other,

I’m writing to you today to inform you on the journey I will be undertaking over the course of this semester. Though none of you will be going through this experience with me, by being the people who love and support me, you will undoubtably see me and share in my triumphs and struggles during this time. While I am one week away from embarking on the biggest challenge and most exciting time of my beginning career, there are a few things I need you to know.

I’m going to be BUSY

I know you probably think I’m busy now, but even I cannot comprehend yet the level of busy I am about to be. Between spending all day at school, lesson planning, grading, working, preparing for my future, and oh yeah, eating and sleeping and basically taking care of myself, I am going to be the busiest I have ever been, so please promise to bear with me. There are going to be times when I’m distracted and times when I’m too tired to even think. I promise you I don’t mean to be a bad friend/ child/ sibling/ or significant other, I love you all and you all mean everything to me, but right now my students come first and I’ll need you to be patient as I give them everything I’ve got.

There will be bad days.

There will be days when I come home in tears. There will be days when I am sure I can’t do this or am not cut out to be a teacher. There will be flopped lessons and bad tests and students who hate me because it’s Tuesday. There will be frustration and feelings of doubt. On these days, when I feel as though I’m about to throw in the towel, remind me not to give up. Remind me why I am going to make such a great teacher and why my students will see the passion I have for this career shining through me. These are the days when I’ll need you the most to pick me up when I’m sure I’m falling and remind me that it’s all going to be worth it.

You will be subject to some great stories.

Whether it is the hilarious comment that one of my students made, a particularly bad lesson, or something I saw go down in the cafeteria, I will surely come home with some awesome stories for you to share in. Pour me a glass of wine while I tell you about my students who constantly surprise me and make me laugh and whose antics make my job so unique and fun.

You are basically my lesson guinea pigs.

You, as the people who love me, are my sounding board for all of my ideas whether they are awesome or terrible. There is nothing I am going to try out in the classroom that I won’t attempt to try out on you first. A writing prompt, introduction activity, or a powerpoint will all go through you before it reaches me students. Be honest with me and help me understand if my own thinking is lacking. You’ll be doing my students and I both a big favor.

There are going to be amazing days.

There are going to be days that I come home feeling like the best teacher in the world. There will be times when I know my students just clicked with the material in my lesson. There will be times when I come home and gush about how awesome my students are and how great my Co-op is, and how on fire I am for this career. Those days, when I can’t even let you get a word in edge wise, just listen and smile. These are the days that make my job so rewarding. Relish with me in the glow of knowing that this job is the only one I can ever imagine doing and that I am so excited to be following my dream.

I am going to miss it when it’s over.

Know that after this semester end, I will realize the moments I took for granted and anytime I wasted. I am going to miss my students and my classroom and wish that I could stay with them for longer. I am going to be sad, but I know you’ll be there to comfort me and remind me that I am only sad because I loved it so much.

I couldn’t do this without you.

Finally, I need you to know that I couldn’t do this without each and every one of you. Without the support of the people who love me, I could never dream to get through this time and give it all of my attention and dedication. Thank you in advance for picking up the slack, for holding me together, wiping away my tears, and reminding me each day that I can do this and that I am a great teacher. I am so thankful to have you all in my life and know you will make these next few months easier for me.

All of my love and gratitude,

Your Favorite Student Teacher