Teacher Memories

I've always meant to write some of my favorite teacher memories as well as some of my not so favorites - for various reasons. Rather than getting bogged down by the formality of how to add all this stuff in my head, I will try to just dump it here on the blog and sort it all later.

Today I have a couple of things. I had another student request an add on FB, which is always cool - especially this long after I've been gone. I really did love those kids and it's nice to see they still think of me sometimes, too!

Second thought - as I was doing a fun little quiz on FB tonight, one of the questions was about what I'd do if I saw someone fall and look like they were going to cry.

I couldn't help but remember a little kindergartner that fell on her way to class after getting off the bus. She was all skinned up, but through the tears that she was doing a great job of fighting back, all she really cared about was getting to class on time.

I well up at the thought of it even today!

What a sweet little girl! What a strong little person! I wish I knew who she was so I could see who she becomes as she grows up. I wish I could have shared that story with her parents.

Alas, bus duty sucked, and it was all I could do to fight back my own tears on her behalf and get her to the nurse to get the blood cleaned off before school started and my own class realized I wasn't there the instant the bell rang to let them into the lab.

I have a lot of feelings about the time I spent teaching - not all of it good. However, as much as there was frustration in not having the freedom to do things in what I imagined would have been the right way, my heart still swells at the thought of the kids I had the privileged to know. There's an unconscious reaction I have when people ask me about that time - and it is just a little shake of my head, as if to say, "what a shame." I always felt I was cut out to guide and coach people to their own success, so teaching seemed a natural outlet for that. The "what a shame" part comes when I think of all the things I could have done if things would have been a little bit different.

I did return to it one time and part of the reason I want to start getting some of this out is so that I don't do it again. Like childbirth, I tend to forget the pain and just focus on the awesome treat that it is to be around all these young people. I don't want to forget the pain. To do so would be at my own emotional expense.