we partner with the parents

we partner with the parents

Parent and Teacher, Together

By Henry H. Walker

when it works,
we teachers see the child in the present(prəˈzent,ˈprez(ə)nt),
and see the child in futures(ˈfyo͞oCHər) that beckon(ˈbekən),
we love that present and future
calling the best within them
that hopes to be born
within the alchemy(ˈalkəmē) of choice and circumstance(ˈsərkəmˌstans),

when it works,
the parent sees the child
and the possibilities inherent(inˈhirənt, inˈherənt) within them,
even better than the educator(ˈejəˌkādər),
yet with overwhelming feeling,

both parent and teacher knowing
that love and circumstance alone can’t let the future
become what we hope it might be,
in this world, free will thrives(THrīv) within our young,
and each of them chooses every moment
between paths(paTH) forward, or back,
that seem best to them,
with the present reality often
overwhelming the possible future,
the woods not so much trackless(ˈtrakləs)
as filled with beckoning tracks,

I was given a great gift today
by the mother of one of my students,
a student with whom and for whom
I have done my best
to see her, to know her,
to support the best in her
that labors(ˈlābər) to be born,
that mother described me as a helper(ˈhelpər) in the journey(ˈjərnē) forward
that drove(drōv) her to have a child and to do her best
to allow and facilitate(fəˈsiləˌtāt) that child becoming the best she can be,

I am heartened(ˈhärtn), and gratified(ˈɡradəˌfī),
when I can partner with a parent,
when I can help her and them
to support that young person
take steps forward into the power that calls to them.
https://henryspoetry.blogspot.com/2020/05/we-partner-with-parents.html