Welcome to 3rd Grade Letters Mailed!

One of the great joys of teaching is the mailing of letters to your new students.  You spend hours pouring over your Meet the Teacher letter.  You make sure that you add the important pieces like 'I like dark chocolate with almonds'.  You make sure that you say the right thing so that your students know they are coming to a teacher who is ready for them.

You find ways to tell parents how grateful you are that their child is in your classroom.  You want the parents to know that you believe their child is important and deserves a phenomenal education.

You sit for hours with your partner, folding and refolding letters.  You make sure that the superheroes get in the letter and that each letter has everything it needs.  You talk across the room to other fantastic 3rd grade teachers to see if they know an address or have an extra stamp.  You check and recheck the address AND finally seal the envelope.  It's ready to be mailed!

You wear matching t-shirts and take pictures in the sun - you squint, use the selfie stick, laugh and then drop the letters in the mail.  When the letters go in the mail, you pause and finally take a breath. You hope you have put a stamp on every letter and written every address correct BECAUSE you want every student to enjoy opening THEIR 3rd grade letter!

The letters are in the mail! You wait in anticipation until you see signs of letters received on Facebook, text, or IG.  Then August 3rd the students walk into East Chester, down the hall and to your classroom.  And you hope that there was 1 thing in that envelope that causes that 1 student to be excited about school, about 3rd grade, about being part of your class.

You forever remember the value of the letter when the student who didn't like school begs to stay with you on the last day of school - he wants you to walk him out the door one last time and he tells you that you like chicken strips from that letter you sent at the beginning of the year.  

This is what teachers do.  I am proud to be called a teacher.