Saying thank you to your teachers in the form of a card (or gift!) wasn't really a thing when I was at school. I don't recall seeing cards or gift ideas for those who taught us and I definitely don't remember any of my friends bringing in anything for the teacher. But I do wish it was a thing back then. I know a lot of these gifting occasions just seem like a way to encourage people to empty their wallets but if I could have been encouraged to write a small thank you to my teacher, I would have done.
Just one teacher can make all of the difference to where you end up going in life. You may have heard me talk about this before, but as we are now coming to the end of the school year I thought I would share with you again. I had the best art teacher who went by the name of Mrs Parker. And I'm going to tell you a short story about her and my journey through the last few years before the dreaded GCSEs.
It all started in year 9 and Mrs Parker wasn't yet a teacher at our school and the current art teacher was testing to say the least. I thought he was okay up until a certain point. I was going through a phase of wanting to draw dragons and had chosen to draw a big purple one with the new watercolour pencils my mum had just kindly bought me from the school catalogue. I was minding my own business colouring it in when he came over to discuss my GCSE options as it was the time of the year to make a decision on what we will be taking the following year. He sat down next to me whilst I coloured and he dropped a huge bombshell... He didn't think that I should take art GCSE and that I should drop it. I couldn't believe my ears. I loved art, admittedly I wasn't very good at it but, it was the only subject I wanted to do (other than design & technology).
The rest of subject selection is a bit of a blur after that. Except for crying my eyes out because they'd given me textiles for design tech when all I ever wanted to do was Graphics. Luckily the head of design let me change. Anyway, Mr Negative art teacher left and stubborn Joanne took art regardless and made it her mission to prove him wrong and keep doing the one thing she loved.
Mr Negative was replaced with the best teacher I could have asked for. Mrs P actually believed in me and did all that she could to nurture and encourage my love for the subject. If I wasn't drawing at school, I was drawing and painting into the evenings when I got home. From the outside I looked like bit of an art nerd because it was all I ever did.
At the end of my GCSE's and with the encouragement from Mrs P, I went from being told to not take art to getting an A. And from there I continued Art and Design into my A-Levels (at the same school), and then moved onto college where I did an Art Foundation and then moved onto University where I did a Ba Hons in Graphic Communication. So if it wasn't for Mrs P helping me to find my feet again and regain my crushed confidence, who knows what I'd be doing today?
So if there's one teacher I'd like to say a great big thank you, it's you Mrs Parker! And to all of the other amazing, encouraging, nurturing, and caring teachers out there. You're the best!
So, just in case you're in need of a small thank you for your child's amazing teacher, I have designed a special range of cards all available at various price points so there is something for everyone. But please don't feel like you have to get one for every single teacher because that could get expensive! It could be for your little ones favourite, or for the one who has had the biggest impact. Perhaps maybe there is a teaching assistant who deserves a special thank you because they do an incredible job too! Either way, I'll be more than happy to help you say thanks! :)
Click here to browse the thank you teacher collection!