With Mother’s Day right around the corner and with this week being Teacher Appreciation Week, I’ve been thinking a lot about being a mom and a teacher. I always knew I wanted to be a teacher, and I have loved all of my teaching opportunities over the years. However, I have noticed that since Miss Molly was born I have become a better teacher.

I make the time for my students. The first four years of my teaching career I had about 125 students every year. I was constantly grading, lesson planning, attending meetings, trying to achieve tenure, etc. I was so focused on trying to keep my head above water, that I often did not get the opportunity to get to know my students. I admit it, I was one of those teachers that would feel annoyed when I got a parent email because I didn’t have time for it.

Fast forward to being a teacher mommy- I do my absolute best to put parents and students first. Many of the students I work with have a lot going on. They struggle with depression, anxiety, bullying, etc. I try to be supportive of students in and out of the classroom by asking how things are going or listening to their story. I communicate with parents more and make the time to talk/listen about what is happening at home. It’s amazing what parents will tell you if you just listen. Why do I do this?  I see now how a student’s personal life truly impacts their academics because I see it with my daughter.

I go out of my way for my students. Before I became a mommy, I would go above and beyond  for my students here and there. I would advocate for my students by making referrals and attending meetings, but once it was out of my hands I would stop being involved. As a teacher mommy, now I do more for my students. I have had students call me the night before Easter with questions because that was the only time they had to work as a student athlete. I have texted and graded work for students at 11:30 PM when their class ended at midnight so we could ensure they earned a passing grade. Why do I do this? I would want someone to do this for my child.

I take IEPS more seriously. Before I was a mommy, I would follow IEPs, but when I had no in-class support and I was dealing with students ranging from 2nd-8th grade reading levels, it became a challenge to make sure I was giving my classified students enough support. At this point, a lot of my attention was on my at-risk population because of the school’s goal. I did what I had to do, but I could have done more.

Now, not only do I modify assignments for my students (providing alternative texts, changing expectations, etc.) but I experiment and research. I’m going for my Orton Gillingham certification (one of these days I will finish it) and I’m constantly looking for new ideas to use with my students. This week I attended a webinar from the International Dyslexia Association about using Assistive Technologies (AMAZING!!) to see how I can help my virtual students. I spend more time giving super specific feedback on student work. I even give sentence stems and fill in the blank thesis statements for those who need it. Why do I do this? Every child learns differently. Molly is incredible with her verbal skills, but the girl just didn’t want to walk when she was a year old. She preferred to crawl or walk on her knees to move around. As a parent, I was concerned because I saw other little ones running on the playground at 9 months old. Not only have I learned not to compare children, but it opened my eyes that every single student is different and needs appropriate support.