Juan, sadly I know you’ve gone, but I have many thank-you ‘s I wanted to say to you. Why did I think it was ok to wait until the end of the school year to say them? I just took it for granted that I’d get the chance…

Thank-you for being our son’s wonderful teacher for the past two years.

For always showing patience, kindness, and fairness.

For being sensitive to the childrens’ needs – showing thoughtfulness in everything you did for them.

For creating such a lovely environment for them in school, full of colour, pictures and fun.

For teaching our son consistently in a way that he looks forward to going to school every day, hopefully beginning a lifelong love of learning.

For building his confidence (immensely so).

For tolerating, with humour, his amazing obsession with cars… coches, coches, coches!

For working through the language barriers with him and the other non-native pupils in your class.

For teaching him to speak Spanish (in a proper Andaluz accent!).

For teaching him and to read, to write and to count, skills he’ll probably use every day for the rest of his life.

For some lovely memories of special happy moments – celebrations, school excursions, Christmas, Carnival and Dia de la Paz to name a few.

For looking after Hal’s grandparents even, on their first ever Spanish school day trip – quite a daunting event for people who don’t speak the language – you made them feel welcome and part of it all.

For making Hal’s birthday this year so much fun and so memorable. Thanks also for his birthday book – it’s a unique gift – a treasure.

For taking him to the post box to mail his first ever proper letter.

For protecting and looking after him – we trusted you with our son and you took care of him every single day you were with him.

For supporting, encouraging, and nurturing all the children in your class.

For loving them.

For being there for them while you could be.

You made a difference.
Gracias.

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