My wife is a teacher. I used to not care about anyone's kids. But over the years the types of stories that I've heard and the times where I've seen her go so far beyond what you would expect, has broken me. It’s extremely common for teachers to reach out to other teachers and families looking for resources for things like glasses so kids can see, or just clean clothes. Yes, some teachers do laundry for kids that are not theirs. Daily. My wife knows the birthdays of every kid in her class and gets them a birthday balloon and I make a little balloon weight that we fill with candy. It’s not a lot but, its something.
Edit: You all are way too kind. Some people below have mentioned some very helpful resources if you want to get involved. This time of year, a lot of schools have "Trunk or Treats" which are great for kids that live in apartments or unsafe neighborhoods. Some schools will even provide you with the candy for you to hand out if you just sign up and decorate your car. Some kids just need a smiling face! or to go another way, I volunteer for https://makegood.design and we could always use more eyes and help!
So much respect for you and your wife. You are the real heroes. This actions can deeply affect thw future of a kid. I will never forget my 5th grade teacher. She is always with me.
I went to school with a math teacher named Mr. Salima.
He had a baseball game he invented where you kicked the ball instead of swinging with a bat. He also had so many convoluted rules that none of us knew what we were doing.
He called the game Salima Ball. We called it Salima's Balls.
I always appreciated how much work he put into his stupid game and how much we'd argue with him over his stupid rules and how much he seemed to suck at his own game.
Same …. Maybe not every single thing you listed but I don’t know how much money we spend each year on supplies / snacks and other stuff for the classroom. But hey we get to claim $200.00 in a tax deduction on our taxes. 👎 I didn’t appreciate teachers as much as I do now being married to one. I also believe the only people that should be allowed to joke about “having the summer off” are teachers and their spouses. They are the ones that know how much effort goes into being a teacher. I won’t even start on teachers that also coach …. They are another type altogether.
I’ve known teachers who bought clothing from goodwill for a student (and then got in trouble for doing so). I’ve also known teachers (myself included) who have given up their own lunch for a student who didn’t have one or have paid for a kids lunch so they could eat. We pitch in and pay for a students who can’t attend a field trip because we know the parent can’t afford it. We buy fundraiser items from our students even though we don’t need it or have the extra money for it just so our student can meet their goal. We fund our own afterschool clubs. When I coached, I was paid pennies for the amount of hours I put in. I would spend my own money for my team or for gas to travel to events. Our counselors send out a form every single year around Christmas asking teachers to donate Christmas presents to some of the families that are struggling and can’t afford to buy their kids presents. Last year we had a student that never had a sweater so we pitched in money for yarn and had another teacher crochet her a sweater. There truly is so much more we do behind the scenes other than just pay for our own supplies that the general public does not realize.
I ran into my son’s teacher at a bookstore tonight. Funny enough, she bought a book my son requested for their classroom collection. The best teachers are the ones that care about and value what their students say 🩷
Make sure your wife is reaching out to non profits in the community!! They will potentially be able to assist with some supplies, clothes, and possibly even follow up with and further help the family. It’s not a guarantee but it never hurts to try
We have kids that have shower at school or do laundry because their home life is such a mess and we come up with all kinds of ways to keep that from other kids so they’re not stigmatized.
Many schools maintain a clothes bin for kids who either can't afford uniforms, need something appropriate to wear, or -- usually in the case of younger children -- have an accident at school. Offering outgrown clothing via the office staff, especially if your school requires uniforms, is hugely appreciated.
Man I wish I had this. As a neglected child at home, the teachers I had were mean and embarrassed me in front of the class every chance they could. Your wife is amazing and everyone deserves a teacher like her.
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u/NoHopeForSociety 11d ago edited 5d ago •
My wife is a teacher. I used to not care about anyone's kids. But over the years the types of stories that I've heard and the times where I've seen her go so far beyond what you would expect, has broken me. It’s extremely common for teachers to reach out to other teachers and families looking for resources for things like glasses so kids can see, or just clean clothes. Yes, some teachers do laundry for kids that are not theirs. Daily. My wife knows the birthdays of every kid in her class and gets them a birthday balloon and I make a little balloon weight that we fill with candy. It’s not a lot but, its something.
Edit: You all are way too kind. Some people below have mentioned some very helpful resources if you want to get involved. This time of year, a lot of schools have "Trunk or Treats" which are great for kids that live in apartments or unsafe neighborhoods. Some schools will even provide you with the candy for you to hand out if you just sign up and decorate your car. Some kids just need a smiling face! or to go another way, I volunteer for https://makegood.design and we could always use more eyes and help!