Monday, May 17, 2010

Forgive me bloggers... for I have


.. been absent. And yeah.. I'm sure I sinned a time or two. But that's not what this post is about - if you want those juicy details... you'll have to call me.

Anyway - I am working on a teacher gift for this Friday. This is for a teacher that has taught both my boys and we love her. I don't think I could explain to you how much we love her. Besides the fact that she's an awesome teacher.. she's special to me for another reason. I'll quickly tell you why.

My oldest son has an August birthday - he made the "age cutoff" for Kindergarten by 3 days. And me, as a young foolish and fairly new parent (heavy on the foolish), thought "My kid is bright and he's smart enough to keep up with all those older kids.. I'm going to enroll him". So - for the first 3 weeks or so of Kindergarten, he was only 4 yrs old. That was a decision that I will regret for years to come!!!! So to all you young mothers out there - don't be eager to enroll your brilliant child in school - WAIT if you can!!!!

We weren't lucky enough to have this awesome teacher - we were at a different school and had a BAD TEACHER!!! I thought things were going along just fine.. I walked into my VERY FIRST Parent/Teacher Conference.. eager to hear how bright and sweet and funny MY CHILD was!! Instead the teacher kept saying over and over how small he was.. and he's just so immature.. and she even had the guts to show disgust for his table manners!!!!  (She was a mother to a 2 year old little girl).

I walked out of there in TEARS.. cried all the way home!!!!! That was a teacher who shouldn't be in the classroom!!!

Needless to say - we happened to move and he started 1st grade at our current school - and Mrs Curtis was his 1st Grade teacher. She fell in love with him - she says that both our boys remind her of her own son.

SO - with all that said (not so quickly).. My youngest now has her for Kindergarten and he loves her too. Since this is the last child of ours that she will teach - I went a little overboard on her end of year teacher gift.

I got this idea for a quilt from "Carly of Quiltville". I had all the kids in my son's class (and Mrs Curtis) do a self portrait on fabric.


Here is the quilt top - I'm going to finish this week and I will show you more pictures when it's done. 


Have you ever had a 'bad' teacher - who probably shouldn't be in the classroom? Or a super awesome teacher that you wish your child could have year after year? Pin It

23 comments:

Luv 2 Kreate said...

What a wonderful gift! Mrs. Curtis will surely love and treasure it always.

I too have been there with the being eager to enroll a child in school. We ended up holding him back and it made a world of difference. You better believe I waited as long as I could with the other 2!

Barb said...

She will love it.

I have had bad experiences with teachers and crying on the way hoe as well....I am glad you have found a good teacher for your sons....
Also, I was put into school early and I truly wish my mother had waited, I was so young and immature all through school...it was really hard for me.

Junie Moon said...

What a truly lovely and meaningful gift for a great teacher. Yes, I've experienced both the good and bad in teachers, probably everyone has. The bad was my first grade teacher who admonished me for already knowing how to read and write (in cursive) on my first day of school. She said it wasn't fair to the other kids and that I should be ashamed of myself. I was afraid to do well in school after that. But in high school, I had an awesome journalism/English teacher (Bill Hobbes) who taught me how to think critically and his lessons have served me well in my life.

Unknown said...

I've had both, and so has my 6 year old. Her Kindergarten teacher was AWESOME, really helped with her, which was especially good since my daughter is developmentally delayed.

Unknown said...

I had a really, really bad one in
third grade.......good teachers are the best! I love the quilt and I bet she will too.....

Jane said...

This is going to be a cherished quilt. What a lovely way to say thank you

Kirsten said...

Hi, I love your page..I just started blogging. Is it o.k. to link your page??

Asiyah said...

Oh gosh. My son will start kindergarten in the fall...I hope he gets a teacher as wonderful as your Mrs. Curtis. Fingers crossed!

Kirsten said...

What a wonderful gift...

marlene@ByTheSeam said...

Nice quilt I am sure that she will love it to death. Yes, both my girls had a really super teacher and both had a very awful teacher. The one even chastised me for taking my daughter out of school when my brother died. I was so horrified at that. Luckly she retired right after that!

Kay Lynne said...

My boys had good teachers and bad through the years. Your boys are very blessed to have a Mom that cares and watches out for them. You will reap many rewards being there for them when they're older. I love the quilt. What a wonderful gift.

Jamie said...

It's terrific Heidi! I am also making a quilt for a teacher that both of my boys have had. She is retiring this year. I am so glad she stayed through the end of my second child's 1st grade year. Yours looks great. I didn't get to do the painting part with the kids because I had to work, but I heard that they had a lot of fun. Their blocks sure are colorful. I hope mine will turn out as nice as yours.

Patty said...

Your quilt looks great. I'm a teacher and unfortunately there are some teachers who just see our profession as a job, but fortunately there are more out there who treat it as a calling and approach each day with a passion, I'm glad both of your sons were able to experience that passion and benefit from it. I'm sure she will treasure your quilt like she treasures each of her students.

quiltmom anna said...

Hi Heidi,
I am both a teacher and a quilter- I know that your gift will make her cry- she will be so touched at your loving thoughtful gift. I hope that your children continue to have caring teachers who support and appreciate their many talents. Each of us should be celebrated for the contributions we make to our community. Your quilt celebrates the wonderful gifts your children's teacher has given you and yours. I want to suggest that she might feel your children have also provided many wonderful gifts by being part of her classroom community.
Thanks for sharing your wonderful gift- it is truly a gift to be treasured.
Warmest regards,
Anna

Rachel said...

What a gorgeous and thoughtful gift. I'm a teacher and I have never received a present like that (although one of my grade 12 boys game me some lovely perfume for Christmas last year - he says his mom picked it out hehe).

My daughter had the WORST grade 1 teacher. She was so mean. She picked on my daughter and pretty much gave permission for all the other kids to pick on her too. One of the other parents whose son was in grade 2 that year told me that he had been her scapegoat the previous year. My daughter is now in grade 12 and still hates school! If I saw that teacher, I'd run over her with my car (then quickly speed away). Some of them just don't realize the impact they have, especially on the little ones. You and your boys were truly lucky to have Mrs. Curtis!

Kim said...

The quilt is awesome! I am a teacher and I would be so honored to have a gift like that. I love recieving gifts that have that much thought(and work) put into them. Thank you for sharing you insight to starting children too young. Three of my four children had August birthdays and we held them all back, and we're glad we did. They are young for such a short time, why not enjoy them at home one more year and give them that little head start! Unfortunately we can all name teachers we wish we hadn't had and luckily most of us have had some good ones.

Darlene B said...

I had the best 2nd grade teacher ever! She was nurturing, yet firm, and loved each of her students. Both of my daughters also had her for 2nd grade. My daughters are now in college, and this teacher is still teaching! She has impacted so many young lives - what a treasure! dsb448@att.net

canuckquilter said...

Ah yes, we've had teachers we couldn't believe were allowed in the classroom (ooh, don't me started!)...but in between we've had some Mrs. curtises too. What a lovely gift you are making for her. Teachers like that deserve to know how very much we appreciate their work.

Marie said...

what a wonderful gift ....

all of us have had the teacher from hell -- i can still hear mrs b yelling at me in 4th grade --- 40 years ago... by the time i got to college she was teaching at that level and i had her again -- things hadn't improved a bit.....

Bev C said...

Hello Heidi, sometimes we need to go overboard in the present department. Just love it and so will the teacher. Happy days.
Bev.xoxo

Debbie J said...

Yes, over the years my children had some of both kinds of teachers. I love the quilt!

Kristen said...

I am so sorry you and he had to have that terrible experience. This gift would have left me in tears of happiness. I am a former high school math teacher and now I tutor as a SAHM. I clean up after all the messes the not so good half leave... I always tried to do everything with the kids best interests in mind not my own... It is a job, but it is also a privilege...

prashant said...

What a truly lovely and meaningful gift for a great teacher.
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