Friday, December 9, 2016

The Gift - Celebrate #23


Each week Ruth Ayres extends an invitation to share and celebrate events, big or small, from our week.

It is Friday afternoon, and I have spent the day grading narrative essays.  As I dig my way out of the deep, dark grading hole, I find celebration.  

I just finished reading a student's narrative, and I see evidence of some of the lessons I taught. That is cause for celebration.  

But what I celebrate more is the teacher in his story.  "David" moved here from another school, so I do not know much about his teacher.  What I do know, is this 1st grade teacher made a difference in his life by giving him a gift, a gift he calls his best gift ever.

I will never know the story between David and Ms. Corner, but I can read his words,

and I understand,  

and I celebrate.

Have you ever received a great gift?  I got my best gift at my house and I was so happy.  When I was in 1st grade my teacher gave me a Christmas gift.  

One day I was talking to my teacher, Ms Corner that I wanted this car for Christmas. On Christmas morning I was so excited to open gifts, but I had to wait for my mom and dad to get up. When my mom and dad woke up my dad  handed me my gifts from under the Christmas tree.  In the middle of opening gifts I saw a gift that looked like the car.  When I found the gift I started ripping the paper open. When I saw the car it made my day! It was the best day in the world! The car so cool and it was the best gift I have ever got for Christmas and I was so happy.
The mustang is blue with a white stripe from the front to the back. The car can go fast and you can ramp it. It can go high up in the air and when it comes down onto the ground it goes really fast.  When you push on the gas it does a backflip. The car was the best car I have ever got.
I gave my mom a hug.  When I got done eating me and my mom went outside and played with the mustang. At the end of the day my aunt and my cousin went home. It was the best gift I have ever received. I thought that I got it from my mom, but really it came from Ms Corner. When I got back to school I said thank you so much for the gift and I gave her a gift that was a box of chocolates and a cup that said you are the best teacher in the world with a happy face at the bottom she was so happy that i got the cup for her and she gave hug and sid thank you for the cup and I made her day. :)

6 comments:

  1. This story is full of JOY. It's bursting with it. Tell this writer that he has a great voice. I still wonder how the gift got under his tree. Thanks for sharing.

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  2. Ms. Corner is my hero. Please tell this writer that this piece touched me as a first grade teacher and reminded me what our work is really about. Thank you for sharing!

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  3. Sweet are the surprises in our lives. I suspect that Ms Corner will be in his memory for a long time, maybe all his life. I wonder how she did it?

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  4. Aw! I love the excitement in his voice! So evident and infectious. He seems just so happy. Now I'm wondering how I might be like Ms. Corner too... Thanks for sharing!

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  5. Leigh Anne, surprises come in small packages, don't they? This post had such a heart-warming surprise in it. Thanks for helping me prepare for the season.

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  6. Small gestures can mean so much. A friend shared this very powerful video on FB yesterday to show the power of positive words from teachers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXy0ViWjD3g. Thanks for another reminder of what we should look for in the words of our students as well of how powerfully we can impact kids. I think I'll go grade now, too.

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