Kudos to a Kindergarten Teacher

Parents and all of us that were once school children can recall those teachers, the ones that left a lasting, positive impression. I think of the book that gets to the heart of the matter, "Thank you, Mr. Falker" by renowned children’s author, Patricia Polacco. Check it out: it is an amazing autobiographical account of Polacco, a student who struggled mightily with reading as a child and then went on to become a writer. (I thank my son Thomas’ 2^nd Grade teacher, Mrs. Schmoyer, for sharing that book with Thomas who then shared it with me).

My “thank you” this night goes to Mrs. Decker, my son Luke’s kindergarten teacher and here’s why. Luke loves to dance. Ever since he saw the Nutcracker last December, he regularly twirls and leaps around our living room. When friends and family come to visit, he dances for them. Last week at school, Luke was dancing at recess. But as he told his dad, the girls were making fun of him; they said only girls do ballet.  Of course we told him that’s not true, but we wanted his teacher to be aware of what was happening. We knew that Luke’s classmates didn’t intend harm, but at least the teacher might find moments here and there to encourage him.

I had sent an email at 8:30 in the morning and this led his teacher to not only find an encouraging word, but to do a ballet segment in class…that day! They watched videos of Sleeping Beauty on YouTube, making sure to note the men dancing. They talked about how boys are essential to these ballets. And more, they watched videos of football players taking ballet class as way to improve their skills on the field. I was floored that one email, one sharing of a story, would have such a powerful result in the classroom.

Yes, the girls will usually outnumber the boys in ballet class, especially in rural areas.  But I am thankful for a teacher whose example of encouragement and kindness overcame the stereotypes. Thank you, Mrs. Decker.