Mumsnet users share the times teachers have gone out of their way to help their children with Sanctuary Spa

[JustineBMumsnet]

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School is not always plain sailing, and as parents you rely on teachers to guide your child through both the good times and the hard times. There are lots of teachers that go that extra mile to help your child, with the effect often having long-lasting impact. With this in mind, we thought it would be great to hear all your experiences of teachers who have gone out of their way to help your children, and the impression this left on both you and your child.

Here’s what the team at Sanctuary have to say:
“What better way to say Thank You to a great teacher than giving them the gift of indulgence and some time to relax, breathe & #LetGo at the end of term.
Whether you are looking to thank them for all they've taught you, for encouraging you to achieve your best or for simply surviving the year, help your favourite teacher indulge in a pampering session with a luxurious Sanctuary gift.”

How has a teacher stepped in and helped your child at school? Which challenges did they help your child to overcome? What positive effect did this have on you and your child? How did you show the teacher how much you appreciated their help?

Whichever ways teachers have helped your child, share your experiences and post them on the thread below. Everyone who does so will be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £300 voucher of their choice (from a list).

Thanks and good luck with the prize draw

MNHQ

Standard Insight T&Cs apply

My daughters teacher is lovely my DD went through a stage of wetting herself by accident as she was so distracted playing the teacher went and got her a new little outfit to put on as I forgot to pack spares and she's very petite thought that was lovely

Also planning to get the teacher some nice presents instead of the bog standard chocolates this year

My son has been going through such a horrible time this year due to problems with outside of school and his head teacher has been beyond brilliant at helping him to feel safe and understood. She has shown tremendous patience and understanding and he is the only person other than me and his play therapist who he has felt able to open up to. She is so busy but always makes him feel like she has all the time in the world for him

We have been blessed with sone absolutely fabulous teachers.
Ones that stand out:
Miss J, who taught DS1 in reception, and then DS2 in preschool is one of the most fabulous, generous, caring and dedicated early years practitioners I've come across.
Mrs Mc, getting DS1 diagnosed in Y5 has been the most amazing gift you could possibly give a child. He no longer believes he is stupid.
Mrs S, Mrs C, Miss A. We may only have been at the school 2 weeks, but the kids are happy. Thank you for easing this transition for them.

Mrs C. Oh, Mrs C. You came crashing into our life, and that year where our friendship couldn't bloom because you taught my child..... We've made up for it since then, hey?

Those that have had a full school year with my kids have had letters and cards at the end of the year. I really struggle buying gifts for people I dont know, and generic wine, flowers, chocolates seems impersonal. So they end up with a card.

My ds went through a phase of not eating any lunch for various reasons so his teaching assistant sat him at the teachers table and made sure he wasn't on his own and made sure he ate it all. After two weeks he was introduced back to his peer group and is now eating lunch as normal. I'll always be grateful to her for that and the patience she shows with him during lessons. Instead of presents we are getting the kids to draw a card and write a nice letter with a picture of them on.

My child's teacher has helped by getting her to understand that everyone is individual and different and that is a good thing. Everyone has different strengths and weaknesses, preferences and dislikes. It helps my child focus on her own journey through life instead of constantly worrying over others opinions.

How has a teacher stepped in and helped your child at school?

When my son had a severe stammer, I had to go to speech therapy with him for several months, his form teacher was completely aware of this, did not ask him questions in class, but took him to one side at lunchtime to practice his breathing exercises to help his speech - which after 6 months is under control.

Which challenges did they help your child to overcome?

Confidence with his stammer

What positive effect did this have on you and your child?

It made him relax in class knowing he would not be asked questions, which again helped his nerves.

How did you show the teacher how much you appreciated their help?

Some home made biscuits in a 'best teacher' box. She was in tears (as was I at the end of term)

The reception teacher - although brilliant was DS1 went 1000 times above and beyond with DS2

He had an elephant fixation so his group was (all gruffalo creatures) 'foxes and elephants' so he'd respond to his group being called for activities

She made him his own workstation, all in blue (his favourite colour) and decorated with elephant pictures

She let him work all day in his nativity costume (full on camel get-up) at Christmastime if he felt more comfortable rather than forcing him to get back into uniform

She spent hours of her own time researching, buying and making anything she thought would help

I'd love to tell her exactly how thankful I am and how much she means to us but I fear that's mean a restraining order - I tell her frequently I think she's amazing though

Not my dc but me.

I had hurt my toe but my mother thought I was trying it on and sent me to school anyway.

Over the course of the day it got worse and worse until by the end of the day I could barely walk.

A teacher who was known as being one of the really mean ones gave me a lift home and told my mother she'd pop back later with some crutches she had.

This prompted my mother to actually take me seriously so we went to A&E and I had actually broken two toes.

The same teacher actually expelled me 4 years later 🙈

@blackleggingsandatshirt I love that what a lovely teacher hope your Ds Is more confident now

Dd started four A-levels, but decided to drop one towards the end of Y12. Her school did not do any ASs, but, rather than let her feel her year's effort had been a waste, the HoD made a special arrangement for dd to sit the AS in the subject she wanted to drop. As the AS and A-level curricula were slightly different, this involved the HoD find 2-3 hours a week to tutor her in the missing areas and mark her work. Dd achieved an A in the AS, and a sense of achievement, rather than the shame she had felt when she decided to drop the subject, when she had felt she was letting everyone down.

This particular HoD is an incredibly busy and committed man. He has influenced two of my dc so far, with the result that they respect him and see him as a role model of determination and focus, courtesy and enthusiasm.

Even at 17 our DS has never grown out of his stammer. All through secondary school he has been lucky to have had the most amazing music teacher in his life.
I dont know how she fits in all the groups, choirs and ensembles that she runs but somehow she does all this and takes them on music tours, competitions and concerts.
He sings beautifully, and like do many others he doesn't stammer when he sings.
She has given him confidence to perform and to be himself.
She means so much to our whole family.

I'm sure there are things the teachers do for my DC everyday that I don't see. I love how they genuinely care for him and listen to his stories. He harms developed so much this year and I'm grateful for all the work they have put in.

My sons teacher was so supportive when he took ages settling, she looked after him and made sure he felt confident to go in each day

He was struggling with concentration in the classroom when there was lots of noise during independent working (due to his autism) so his teacher bought in some ear defenders for him to wear and it made such a difference.

While I think it's a shame that it's needed, I am so grateful to DD's teachers giving up lunchtimes, after school and even Easter holiday time to run GCSE revision/booster sessions. They have been invaluable.

DC1s teacher this year had been fabulous, dc1 is bright and hitting where he needs to be, but struggles physically holding pens and writing. His teacher has spent this year working with him on his control, using his love of pokemon to create games around pen control. The difference a good teacher can make is amazing.

However we are all giving john lewis vouchers this year, hopefully putting it together the teacher will have enough for something fabulous.

Ms Devereaux - she made my sons primary school years bareable! She was straight forward & honest but handled him in such a positive way.. I truly believe if we had more teachers like her many more students would accomplish SO much in life!
Sadly she took ill and then took a leave of absence and then a transfer ..
I wish we had the opportunity to thank her properly for all that she did & leaving a lasting mark on my son’s heart🌷

My daughter's teacher absolutely 'gets her' she's incredibly bright and is easily bored if work isn't engaging her. Her teacher pushes her and keeps her engaged every day.

My son was struggling with school. Couldn't take part in trips, sports day.anything. He was needing to make the transition to seniors and it wasn't looking good. Teacher arranged totally bespoke day. He did it himself as no one else seemed to know how to help. Took son and his friend in his car to the school, arranged to meet past pupil son knew to help show them round. All sat for a meal that he paid for so son relaxed. My son came home and made a card to say thank you for making big school not so scary. Made me cry. He may not have made seniors, he tried, but this meant my summer wasn't fraught with fears of the new school. This man made a huge impact on son, understanding and supportive I don't think son would have made it even to the end of year 6 without him

Dd's nursery teacher is amazing. She has been so gentle and patient and helped a very tentative and reserved little girl grow in confidence over the school year. At the start of every week she looks at DD's 'my life' book and chats with her about the little things she's done over the weekend. Once she came all the way out of the school building to see her ride new bike. To say thank you at Christmas, I created a piece of art from all the things dd had said over the term about her teacher.

My son's reception teacher is wonderful. She is always so positive and encourages my son to join in as he can get so immersed in his own thoughts on his own. She always has pleasant things to say about him and has instilled a love of going to.school in him. We are putting together an emergency teaching kit for her as a thank you as we know all the teachers spend their own money on class bits and thought she is probably sick of boxes of chocs.

We have been so lucky to encounter so many fantastic teachers and TA’s during our time at school.
I think it’s the little repeated acts of kindness that have helped build up DS resilience and confidence. One of the TA’s Mrs S started a lunchtime club to help kids that were struggling socially interact in small groups, it did wonders for my boy. She was also the TA who braved a very high zip wire on a school trip to encourage the kids even though she was petrified!!
I frequently tell them all how wonderful they are and send in cake to the staff room at random times throughout the year. At Christmas and summer holidays I try to personalise a gift that will be useful eg that particular TA loves to travel so I put together a little bag with mini toiletries bottles to decant and a beach towel for her last year. Members of staff that I don’t know so well get more generic baked goods or coffee shop voucher. When money has been tighter I’ve always made sure they get a very heartfelt card telling them how much we value their hard work.

When My DS1 was transitioning to High School, (He was statemented and had a 1 to 1 for 15 hours a week) - She arranged for him to attend his senior school, at different times of the day (morning when it is busy, dinner time so he knew where to tom queue and leaving time so he knew where the school busses were parked. It really helped his worries for the weeks ahead before he started - I cannot thank her enough for arranging this - I bought her an autographed book from her favourite author.

My son's year 3 teacher took my shy little boy, who found it really hard to make friends, she paired him up with another little boy, who was not as shy, but had moved into the area, (she told me she was doing this as she thought they would get along). 3 years on, they are still best of friends, they have sleepovers, and my shy little boy is so much more confident and happy. When he loved to year 4, I bought her a magazine subscription - she often told me that she loved to curl up with Marie Claire on Sunday mornings - it was very gratefully received.