A Letter to My Teacher.......

Tweet

This post may contain my personal affiliate link.  Read my disclosure policy here.

So, in keeping with my impending freak out with my boy starting preschool outside of our home, I have been looking for ways to introduce my son to his new teacher, something that didn't sound like a first-time parent dropping their baby at the daycare center with a binder full of "do's and don'ts".  (<----- In my own defense, I was a first-time parent! LOL) Anyways, we only had a short time to tour his new preschool, and there were no other kids around as they were in summer session, and I didn't get a chance to tell the teacher everything I wanted her to know about my son (and really didn't want her to be mentally rolling her eyes at me for being *that* parent, ya know?).  So, I thought why not have my son tell her what he thinks is important to know about him in a "First Day of School" letter!  ♥

This letter was composed from a series of small conversations we have had with our 4 year old since he made the decision to go to a conventional preschool and from our almost-nightly bedtime talks that we call "Let's Ask Questions!".  These one-on-one nightly chats are a great way to stay up-to-date with your kiddos' interests, likes, and what may be pressing on their little hearts or minds!

And while this letter is a really cute idea for younger kids (and is a wonderfully easy "Back to School" memory for the baby book....that I really should get started on one of these days!), I think it would also work well for older students.  Have your child write out a few paragraphs (maybe practicing their best cursive handwriting) to their new teacher outlining personal interests, hobbies, favorite school subjects, extracurricular activities they are looking forward to, and maybe areas in school where he or she may feel challenged.   I know as a teacher it took many weeks or even months to really get a student to open up and share themselves with me and it could be frustrating at times looking for ways to make personal connections with some kids.  Having a letter like this would be a great reference to add to a child's educational growth record and it could be passed on to the next teacher!   

Dear Ms. Teacher R.,

I am very excited to be starting preschool for the first time on that Monday!  I was happy on my trip to your new barn school and I talked about it every day with my whole family! I really liked the animals and the big vegetable garden!  I want to eat them all but I don't want any sauce please.  I also liked meeting you and I think you look like a very nice teacher person.  You got tall when you growed up.  I would like you to meet me a little bit too so we will know each other when the barn preschool is starting!

My name is Bendegúz.  It sounds like Ben-deh-gooz.  My name has an important meaning in Hungarian.  My Daddy says that Bendegúz was an important man and he had a son called Attila.  And he taught his son how to be a strong warrior (that word means like soldier) and protect the Hungarian people and the animals when they traveled to a new home.  I never met anybody else with my same name called like Bendegúz.  And you can’t buy it on stickers.  Or shirts.  Or a new lunchbox.  Because the letters are different.  When I used to be a little kid, my friends called me “Goose”.  I don’t have a short name now.  I like to just be called Bendegúz.  I can write it too.  With a pencil or something like that.

My Mommy used to be a teacher for big kids and little kids in a big building and she teaches me in my house too.  She makes blueberry muffins on the mornings.  I can bring one for you to try.  My Daddy works in the forest far away.  He has a badge on his shirt and a great big truck.  I think it’s red and white with a picture on it.  I miss him a lot when he goes to work.  I have a Grandpa and he lives in my city Elk Grove.  He’s called Bob when you see him.  He has a cat called Tiger Cat.  But he’s not a real tiger.  I have a lot of big family in Europe.  That's called a country not in America.  I have a Grandma, and big cousins and a baby cousin.  I have this many aunts and uncles too.  We talk on the Skype every Sunday before we go to church.  It is bedtime for my family when we go to church in America.

These are some things to know about me that are kind of important.  And maybe you have some important things too for sharing.  You can tell me them in the barn school, but not when it's listening time, okay?   We will be in trouble.

• I know about garbage and recycling and where is the landfill. I know all about the different kinds of trucks like front loaders and side loaders and rear loaders. They are not the same. I know the names of the 3 garbage cans and what kinds of things you can put in the cans. Do not put fish heads into the green waste can. You will be in trouble with the garbage man and have a big ticket on your can. I really like to talk about garbage. It is so important to me. Do you have garbage cans at your house? 
• My favorite color is green. I don’t want to change my mind on that one, okay?
• My favorite number is 1 because you always have to say 1 when you count. No matter how big you go on the numbers. So it’s the most important number.
• Sometimes when I feel happy or scared I can’t get my words out. Mommy says that’s called 'stutter' and I have to just only slow down. Or I can try to say my words later. It makes me frustrated sometimes.
• I know how to go to the potty by myself. I already learned that. Sometimes I forget to tell somebody I need to go. But I didn't have wet pants before ‘til I was a little kid and it was just one time.  
• I really like ABCs and what sounds can they make. This is my best thing about preschool.
• I like to do cooking with my mom. I don't like to eat steak. 
• I like to eat “helping” foods. You know what are “helping” foods Teacher Ms. R.? They are green peppers, and tomatoes, and carrots, and eggs, and watermelons and like that. They are not candies. If you eat that food you will have energy and strong bones and muscles for to jump really high like this!
• I like to be a helper. I can do a lot of helper things like push the vacuum or put dishes away or rake leaves or pick up lots of toys or pick peaches. If you need a helper person you have to find Bendegúz.
• I don't like it when friends are upset. It makes me to get upset and sad and cry too. I don't want anybody in the barn school to be in trouble because that's not the good thing to do. You 'posed to be a nice boy or a nice girl and not to be upset in trouble. You have to give everybody a chance because that is how to be a nice friend. 
• Sometimes I might miss my Mommy or my Daddy or Tiger Cat or my bunny called Matzi.  I might cry.  But they will come when it is lunch time.  They will come in the white car and pick me up when the barn school is done teaching lessons and we play for a little bit.  I will not take a nap at home, okay?

I think I don’t want to answer any more questions about this letter anymore. I am going to be in the preschool on Monday and she could ask me more like these questions when I see her in the preschool, okay?

Your New Friend, 

Bendegúz.  Remember it will sound like when you say Ben-deh-gooz.  Okay, that's it.