For every teacher, every day, every grade, and every school.
Dear Teacher,
Today, I give you my daughter.
For all of her life, I have taught her what I know about her world, her culture, her family, and herself. I have loved her, fed her, clothed her, and probably spoiled her just a little. I have doctored her, consoled her, nurtured her, and disciplined her. I have held her within boundaries to keep her safe, and held my breath while allowing her freedom to explore her universe.
And now, I give her to you. I give her to you to complete the job that I started. I give her to you with the trust and faith that you will take your mission to heart. I give her to you, believing in your desire and ability to raise her up to her highest attainable level, and carry her forward into life well prepared to be the future.
I give her to you, trusting that you will see her as the unique individual that she is, and that you will teach her accordingly; that you will see her weaknesses, but focus on her strengths; that you will treat her firmly, but fairly; that you will set aside your own biases and preferences, and teach her that bias and preference have no place in education or in life.
I give her to you, hoping deep within that you recognize how much she is loved and cared
about; that she is being entrusted to you to build into a person of confidence, pride, generosity, and self esteem; that you will prepare her to face the harsh winds of Life armed with knowledge, strength, and judgment.
She has looked to me for answers and guidance and now she will look to you, her teacher. Please see her for what she is- the future of our family and the future of the world. When your job is complete, she will be a woman. She will go forward in life carrying the tools that were forged by you.
And so today, and for many days to come... I give you my daughter.
by Elaine Nash
Copyright 2004, Reprinted 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013
Permission to copy and distribute is granted by the author.
