Executive Director’s Letter- November/December 2023

A Love Letter to Teachers

Early childhood and primary teachers create caring, loving relationships with their students. This consistent relational care is essential for the child’s growth, learning, self-understanding, and socio-emotional development. The context of this important relationship is essential to the child’s wellbeing. We know that in order for young children to develop healthily, they need consistent, loving, responsive relationships. Relationships are central - and at this age, they cannot learn without them. We cannot raise a generation of healthy, well-rounded children without caring, loving teachers. 

Each year The Alliance invites families to thank the teachers who have made a difference in their children’s lives. Families write a Teacher Tribute and The Alliance honors teachers by sharing the written tribute and inviting them to the annual Networking Dinner in their honor. 

They have been an annual part of our tradition at The Alliance for many years, a way of incorporating community gratitude and honoring the way teachers build relationships, trust, and connection and foster incredible growth and development among their students. I’ve taken the families’ words of appreciation from the tributes submitted this year and woven them together into this love letter. (Minor revisions made to protect the identities of teachers and children.) 

Dear Teachers, 

You have an incredible capacity for seeing each child’s uniqueness;

You have taken the time to get to know my child and build a trusting relationship; 

We consider ourselves unbelievably fortunate to have been part of the community you build each and every year, a community that fosters a love for and interest in nature, and emphasizes kindness, respect, and a love for learning (and playing).

My child loves school and that is in large part due to the way that you have created a safe and welcoming learning community;

You are an expert facilitator of inquiry-based learning;

You inspire children to be their best selves;

We can see your passion for what you do each day and we are so grateful for you! 

You let the children define, then redefine, and discover, then rediscover themselves as you cheer them on; 

You have been a special part of our family’s life;

You nurtured the caring spirits and curious minds of our children by creating a home away from home, fostering a love of learning, and modeling kindness and respect. 

Through your humor, intelligence, and kind heart, our child has made leaps and bounds that we know would not have been made without you;  

Thank you for inspiring and challenging our daughter to be the best version of herself; 

When your students enter the classroom, you greet them in a way that provides each child with a warm welcome;

Thank you for really seeing our child, and for the many ways you have connected with and encouraged him.

You brought his lemonade stand idea to life; 

You deepened his curiosity around birds and nature (and picking up glitter!); 

I admire your dedication to helping children embrace Nature;

Every morning you take the time to recognize a child’s emotional status, match a student’s playfulness, or even greet a child as a specific dinosaur… if that is what your students need to have a successful day. 

You create classroom projects that are engaging, address a wide variety of student interests, and help children unify into a powerful classroom community;

Most importantly, you always include the voices of your students;

You help your students become interested, engaged, and independent young learners;
Thank you for a magical, loving, nurturing, and creativity-filled year. 

Love, 

Your students’ families

Thank you to the many community members who honored a teacher with a Teacher Tribute for the last school year. If you would like to make a Teacher Tribute today, please find information here.