A Letter from the Kindergarten Teacher

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Dear Parents,

Hi, I’m your child’s teacher. The one you’ve never met — the one you’ve wondered about, the one you’ve prayed about, and the one you might be worried about.
 
I know you’re worried and curious about what the school year holds. Maybe you’ve heard I’m a little too strict, or perhaps you’re feeling unsure because I seem young and carefree. You might be worried about your child making new friends or being influenced by the wrong ones.  

I’m here to tell you, “Don’t worry.”

Don’t worry because I didn’t choose this job for the money. I chose this job because it fills my soul. It brings me happiness — to a place where I’m needed, a place where I can be a nurturer. I deeply love children, and I love to watch them learn and grow.

I will take care of your baby.

After all, he is your baby, no matter how old he really is. You’re trusting me with him for eight hours — a significant part of the day. In turn, these twenty-something kindergarteners become my family. They become part of my world for eight hours and I think about them all day, even when those hours are over.

I grow to love, defend, and encourage them like my own.

As a teacher, I’m trained to notice everything. I’m taught to assess everything from bathroom habits, to social behavior, to academic progress. I notice when your child is sad, feeling left out, or nervous about something. I notice when he’s lonely, when he’s motivated, and when he’s sleepy.  I will do everything I can to make them feel loved and special.

I want you to know:

I can’t do this alone.

I need your trust and I need your support. You know your child better than I do. You know what makes him angry, sad, jealous, motivated, and joyful. YOU are the key to our classroom success. I value our communication. Tell me what works for your child, and what we can do differently. I recognize your child is a child and not just a student. Don’t be afraid to tell me how much he loves Ninja Turtles, or that he’s afraid of the dark. Don’t hesitate to share her interests, fears, and dreams.  

At the same time, have faith and trust in me as an educator.

I’ve spent most of my summer planning, designing, mapping, and organizing everything for this specific group of students. As teachers, we plan for the lesson. We plan for the unexpected and adapt when necessary. We constantly collaborate with each other to find new and better ways to teach. Understand that everything I do as your child’s teacher is to make our classroom safe, comfortable, positive, and inviting. Over the years, teachers revisit a lot of “trial and error” ideas and we know what works and what doesn’t work for different groups of children. From the beginning of the year school supplies I picked out, to the way I’ve arranged seats, there’s a rhyme and a reason to it all.  

We are all human, and we will all make mistakes.

You will forget the homework, supplies, and picture day. I will send home the wrong papers and forget to announce the line leader. Neither of us are perfect, but we have a common ground: We both love your child and want to see him/her be successful.

It will be a busy year of learning and adjusting for all of us. Let’s show one another grace and understanding throughout the school year.  

Love,

Mrs. Longmire

PS: I can’t wait to meet you!

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Autumn Longmire
I live in La Follette, TN with my husband Luke and our 3 children: Amelia, Lincoln, and Arthur. I'm a high school teacher in the public school system and I absolutely love what I do. I'm very passionate about education and the well-being of children all over the world. I like to write about my experiences as both a mother and a teacher. Balancing both is really tricky, and I'm still getting the hang of it. My husband, who I truly believe is the world's best father, is an auctioneer at his family business Longmire Realty & Auction Co. While we love our jobs, we value family time the most. We spend a lot of time outdoors and love to go camping all over the east coast.

4 COMMENTS

  1. I seriously needed this. My son started kindergarten today and it killed me!! All of these little things crossed my mind. I sincerely hope his teacher has all these same feelings and thoughts and will love him like you love your students!

  2. Well, you have me smiling and tearing up. My daughter starts kindergarten very soon, and I’m a high school teacher, so your words are doubly touching.

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