There are some #Holidays that stick with us even though they’ve passed. Which is what happened with two holidays being celebrated on October 5 which was Teacher’s Day, and October 6 which was Coach’s Day. At first, those might sound like two completely different holidays. But the more I thought about them, the more I realized something:

When I think about teachers and coaches my mind goes to how teachers are coaches, and coaches are teachers. They may have different classrooms, different uniforms, different lesson plans, and different goals, but both are helping someone learn, grow, improve, and become the best they can be.

A teacher doesn’t simply stand in front of a classroom and give children information. A teacher has to coach a child through learning to read. They have to coach them through learning math. They have to encourage a student who thinks they can’t do something and help them try again. They teach good manners, patience, responsibility, teamwork, problem-solving, and how to get along with other people. Sometimes they are cheering from the sidelines. Sometimes they are correcting a mistake. Sometimes they are saying, “You can do this. Try one more time.” That sounds a lot like coaching to me even though its coming from the teacher.

And coaches don’t just teach someone how to throw a ball, run faster, make a basket, or play a particular position. They teach. They teach teamwork. They teach discipline. They teach perseverance. They teach what it means to win graciously and lose without giving up. They often have to understand numbers, schedules, rules, strategy, communication, and sometimes even a little bit of psychology. A good coach sees potential in a person and helps bring it out. That’s teaching.

As a homeschool mom, I learned very quickly that when you homeschool, you don’t just get to be “Mom” and “Teacher.” You become everything. I was the teacher and more times than not I was the coach because David was working.. I was the principal when David was working but if he was home David was the principal, too, because let’s be honest—sometimes homeschool needed two people in charge!

I was the vice principal. I was the librarian. I was the secretary. I was the janitor. I was the custodian. I was the lunchroom. I was the person ordering curriculum. I was the person looking for the book we couldn’t find. I was the one explaining math for the third time. And I was the one saying, “Let’s try that again.”

Homeschooling gave me an entirely different appreciation for what teachers do every single day. Because when you’re responsible for your child’s education, you begin to understand just how much goes into helping another person learn. And when you add coaching into the mix, you realize that education isn’t simply about books and grades. It’s about people.

I know teachers and coaches don’t always receive the recognition they deserve. I also know they don’t always receive the compensation they deserve for the amount of work they do. But beyond the paycheck, there is something else that matters. Someone is trusting you with their child. Someone is trusting you to teach them.

To encourage them. To correct them. To challenge them. To notice when they are struggling. To celebrate when they finally understand something that seemed impossible. And sometimes, to believe in them when they aren’t quite ready to believe in themselves. That is a pretty important job.

So this year, instead of looking at Teacher’s Day and Coach’s Day as two separate holidays, I’m putting them together. Because teachers coach and coaches teach. And whether you are standing in a classroom, sitting beside a child at the kitchen table, standing on a ball field, working in a gym, or helping someone discover that they can do something they didn’t think they could do—you are making a difference.

To every teacher: Thank you for teaching. To every coach: Thank you for coaching. And to every homeschool mom, dad, grandparent, or family member who has ever found themselves wearing every hat in the school: I see you, too. You aren’t just teaching lessons. You’re helping raise and prepare a whole person. And that deserves to be celebrated.

Happy Teacher’s Day and Happy Coach’s Day! Thank you for all you do

Have you even been a Coach or a Teacher if so I would like to thank you for taking care of our children and yes, this counts for #Homeschool teachers as well.

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Grateful. Thankful. Blessed.

Thank you,

Glenda, Charlie and David Cates