In the midst of this Thanksgiving season, there are plenty of things in all our lives to recollect on, and to be thankful for. Whether it be the roof over your head, your friends and family or your personal possessions, there is something to be thankful for at any given point in one’s life. Focusing specifically on academic aspects of our lives, what can we be thankful for?

There are many components and individuals that contribute to our academic experiences. This can range from our teachers/professors to janitorial staff to school board trustees. But what are some reasons for us to reflect on what these components and individuals do for us? There are plenty!

Starting with the most visible and frontline of all – teachers, professors and early childhood educators alike play a large role in our academic development. At younger ages, educators play a vital role in shaping who we are and help us to form various learning habits to influence how we will learn in the future. Educators inspire curiosity, creativity and confidence among their students. At MathClinic-plus, we are thankful for all the hard work and effort teachers make towards learning, especially during our formative years.

Another vital part of our learning experience is often the physical locations in which it takes place. While the pandemic has altered how we learn (see our blog post on COVID-19 studying tips here), our schools and learning institutions are buildings that are important to us. Within these walls, we form new relationships with classmates and gather knowledge that will shape who we become as people. We at MathClinic-plus are thankful for the memories formed within these institutions and hope students are as well! 

Our final point to be thankful for in our education journeys are students themselves. From the perspective of another student, we are thankful for students in general as they are who we form relationships with, learn from and create memories with. As students, we spend a large portion of our lives learning and going through similar educational journeys as the peers we surround ourselves with. From the perspective of educators, we at MathClinic-plus are thankful for our students for showing passion in their educational journeys. Despite being educators, we can learn from our students as well – we thank our students for all they have taught us over the years.  We are thankful for the opportunities we have to assist our students in achieving their academic goals.