Wishing you a happy and restful Thanksgiving! This is a letter from a hypothetical student to thank you for everything you do for the students with special needs you teach.
Dear Teacher,
Thank you for taking the time to listen to me today. I know it was hard because everyone was so loud in the classroom. I know sometimes it hard to listen because it takes me a long time to find the right words and put them together. Sometimes it is hard for me to get them to come out right and some people get frustrated and try to guess. Thank you for waiting until I was able to tell you about what happened on the playground. I was so excited it was hard for me to explain how hard I tried to ask another kid to play.
THANK YOU FOR UNDERSTANDING THAT I AM REALLY TRYING
…on those days when I have a rough day.Thank you for understanding
…that sometimes I get frustrated because some things you ask me to do are really hard for me. And thank you for getting excited with me when I am able to do them when, really, neither of us was sure I could.
Thank you for helping other adults
…remember that even if I am not talking that doesn’t mean I am not listening. It means so much to me when you remind others that they can talk to me even though I may not talk back.
Thank you for not getting upset with me
…when I get overwhelmed and start throwing things and screaming. Thank you for helping me learn to tell you with my pictures I need help. I really tried but sometimes it is just too hard. Other people say I need a consequence for misbehaving. Thank you for helping me learn how not to fall apart and not threatening me with punishment when I am struggling.
I really love to watch your face light up
…when I learn something new. I may not always be able to show you, but it means so much that you are my cheerleader. It might take me a longer time to learn something than the kid next to me, but thanks for not comparing us.
Thank you for understanding
…that some days are harder than others. Sometimes things I can do one day are just impossible on other days. I don’t know why. Other people think I am not trying on the hard days. You understand we all have those days.
Thank you for being strong and holding back
…what you sometimes want to say when I start to act up because you are busy and I want something. You calmly pick up things I throw and don’t talk to me about it. This reminds me that I need to tell you what I want instead of throwing things.
Thank you for understanding that I am really trying
…on those days when I have a rough day. Thank you too for understanding that my mom and dad sometimes have a hard time getting me up and dressed in the morning. I know how relieved mom was that day she sent in all my favorite toys because otherwise I wouldn’t get on the bus. She was just trying to get me to go to school. Thank you for not telling her she should do better. She is doing the best she can.
Finally thank you for understanding that I am trying every day to get what I need and do what you want. Sometimes I can’t do it all. Thank you for understanding when I fall short.
But most of all thank you for continuing each day to come back and challenge me to keep learning.
Grateful,
Your Students’ Names Here
Note from Chris:
I am thankful for all of your support on the blog, my store, and in our Facebook community. Most of all, though, I am thankful for the work you put in by getting up every morning to help our students. Whether you are a teacher, a parent or family member, a paraprofessional, a speech pathologist, an OT, PT, behavior specialist, counselor or psychologist (or anyone I have inadvertently left out), THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO FOR THOSE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS (even if sometimes it is making them do it themselves).
[Tweet “THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO FOR THOSE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS (even if sometimes it is making them do it themselves).”]
