Teacher Appreciation Week Memory

Posted byauthorlaurablogPosted inUncategorizedTags:, , ,

I’ve had this bookmark for many years.

If you’ve never taught a child to read, or watched the magic of their realization that the symbols (letters) combine to make sounds to form words, you may not understand. This is where it begins.

But my goal was never to ‘just teach reading.’ I wanted to teach a LOVE of reading.

As a reading specialist, working with children who were struggling and below grade level, I often had parents who thought their child might never read. I assured the mom who gave me this bookmark that her son would learn to read. She cried. I told her my goal for him was bigger and I wanted her to share that goal. He already knew because my students knew my goal for them: learn to love to reading. She hugged me and cried some more.

We worked together and like so many children, he needed more time, more practice, and he did learn to read and more importantly, he learned to love reading. ❤️

Published by authorlaurablog

I'm a reading specialist and award winning educator from Chicago. While living in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado for nine years, I spent time hiking on the trails with my Goldendoodle Charlie and friends, writing, working in a literacy program at the Boulder Public Library, and mentoring writers and teachers. I love visiting schools. My books combine STEM and Kindness. "Aliana Reaches for the Moon" a picture book that draws inspiration from the moon and the curiosity of children, inviting children to be creative, explore, and experiment. "An Accidental Hero: A Mostly True Wombat Story" a picture book told in the form of a newscast which skillfully balances the serious subject of forest fires with compassion and humor to help children navigate this important topic through the real events of 2020. I moved to Northern New Jersey in 2025 and am working on new projects.

10 thoughts on “Teacher Appreciation Week Memory”

  1. This fills me with so much warmth and hope. The goal of not simply reading, but learning to LOVE reading. Thank you for being one of the incredible teachers out there who is working with kiddos to encourage passion and possibilities. ❤

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    1. Thank you, Heather! I think my way of framing it *hopefully* gave families the idea that reading wasn’t just a skill to get through school. It was a way to experience wherever they wanted it to take them, like a passport.

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    1. Thank you so much for commenting on this post! I rarely share much about my teaching days. Recently in 12×12 and another Facebook group a few things have come up that I commented on.
      I’ve been drawing on my experience and this week seemed like a perfect time to share the bookmark and the story behind it.

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    1. Thanks for reading and your kind words. I’ve been sharing more about my experiences with students on other social media because I find that people need to hear the background of what worked and why. I love helping people find ways to believe in themselves.

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    1. Thank you, Jill. 😊 There are so many reasons I loved teaching and I shared stories on Facebook on a regular basis while I was teaching. My students and my families made me feel appreciated every single week and that’s not hyperbole. I’m still in touch with many of them. 🥰

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