“Ms., I’m bleeding!” “Ms., she’s being mean!”  “Ms., I have a rash!”  “Ms., can you tie my shoe?”  “Ms., my son will be absent all of next month, can you create makeup work for him?”  “Ms., I’m really worried about my child!”

As a teacher, the cacophony of voices is almost endless.  Without a doubt, teaching is one of today’s most challenging jobs.  Teachers face pressure from all directions to improve the lives of every child who crosses their paths, and are expected to do so without fail.  We teach not just math and science, but morality, decision making, and humanity, too.  It is an immense responsibility, joy, and burden.  At its heart, it’s a labor of love.  While teachers provide a home away from home for children – a safe space to spend the day playing, learning, and growing – we oftentimes ignore our own wellbeing in order to provide this consistently loving environment for others.  Frequently, we forget that we must also turn this propensity for love upon ourselves in order to stay whole and hale.  So it came as no surprise when two months ago, as part of our continuous improvement cycle, we asked our teachers what small thing we could do to boost morale and bring more positive energy to their days.  The overwhelming response was that teachers needed a place to quell that endless cacophony of voices –  a quiet space to relax, reset and remember why we love teaching.  

So we did what any good Jaguar does – we turned to our community for help, and the CDA Elementary Mom’s Squad answered the call!  In an extraordinary show of appreciation to kick off Teacher Appreciation Week, our Mom’s Squad descended upon the school armed with refurbished furnishings and donated decorations to revamp and revive our elementary teachers’ lounge.  All this in an effort to say: We see you, we appreciate you, and we are thankful for all the hard work you do.  In their words:

          We want to thank you for your efforts in teaching, because with a smile you make everything seem easier, and that motivates [our children] to walk through the                world.  Thank you for making them good, intelligent people every day, and for accepting each of them with their fun, diverse personalities – some serious, some                  annoying, but all children.  On behalf of all of us who form a team for and by you, [we] want to thank you for your efforts in providing the knowledge and for the              patience you have shown both to our children and to us.  Thank you because we always carry you in our hearts and minds, because part of who our children are               has been forged here at school.

And in one heartfelt thank-you note left by the class parents, we’re reminded just why we do what we do.  Because part of who these children are is forged right here.  And we get to be a part of that.  Now when we need a space to reset, we can take a load off, tune out all the noise, and relax in the new teacher’s lounge sponsored by the CDA Elementary Mom’s Squad.  Just another great reason the CDA community is the best in Guatemala!

This week’s Bright Spot shows how a bean, a big idea, and a bold teacher can transform learning.

Want a quick dose of inspiration? These staff shout outs are a reminder of the power of showing up for each other.

Think exit tickets are just a boring box to check? Think again. Ms. Marcela has flipped the script, turning them into student-powered learning roadmaps. See how she’s making assessments actually work for students!

Discover how Ms. Patty unlocked the power of motivation in her classroom—using a simple yet effective strategy rooted in psychology—to help her students accelerate their English learning. This Bright Spot will leave you inspired by how the right approach can turn a challenge into a shared success!

What do you do when your strategy isn’t working? If you’re Ms. Faith, you don’t give up—you innovate! Discover how her determination led to a brilliant new approach that empowered students to speak more English while boosting their reading comprehension. 

Three incredible people are making a difference in big ways—see how they’re turning challenges into opportunities and inspiring us all!

Step outside the classroom and into a world of engagement! See how Ms. Helen and Mr. Roberto are transforming learning by taking students outdoors—boosting focus, motivation, and curiosity in ways that research proves make a real impact. Don’t miss these powerful insights! 

 Dani & Rita are on FIRE!  Their students are outpacing native English speakers in math—smashing records and setting new benchmarks!  Check out their success!