A Simple Thank You

Seven years ago, I left the elementary school where I had been an aide and a substitute teacher, and where I began my career as a 4th-grade teacher. It was also where both of my children went to school, so I spent many hours as a volunteer in their classrooms working with students and helping teachers.

I was comfortable there. And there is something to be said about comfort. However, when the opportunity came to teach language arts and to share my passion about reading at the middle school, I knew I had to make that move.

Yesterday, I received an email from a parent of a current student who was one of my colleagues from that school. 

She thanked me. 

The email seemed like a simple thank you. But for me, it was much more than that.

She thanked me for introducing him to new books and creating wonderful experiences for him to learn and grow. 

Changing schools was a difficult decision for me because I was leaving supportive colleagues who had also become friends. 

But her email was the exact reason why I left. 

Instead of showing 25 students each year the joy and power of books, I now share it with 100 (or more) students each year. Reading emails like this one is what keeps me going. Knowing that I have had an impact on a student's reading life brings me joy. 

And isn't finding joy what teaching is all about?

I’m joining an open community of writers over at Sharing Our Stories: Magic in a Blog. If you write (or want to write) just for the magic of it, consider this your invitation to join us. #SOSmagic

The Missing Washi Tape

I have begun to explore creative journaling where I make the pages of my notebooks into a collage of different materials. I use torn scrapbooking paper, pages from old books, washi tape, printed vintage images from the internet, and stickers. I want to play with stamping next. I am loving it! 

Today was a cleaning day, but I needed to run and get some milk. Since I was out, I took a little detour to run into Hobby Lobby and "just look." I left with a package of "tattered and worn" paper (which I found out was adhesive!) and four roles of washi tape. Yes, just what I needed.

After eating dinner, I ran upstairs to my "office" and pulled out the package of paper. After I opened it and admired the beautiful colors and prints, I opened the bag for the washi tape. I wanted to create some pages to share on the Choice Literacy Instagram page.

But the washi tape was not in the bag. I went down and looked in my purse and in the car, but they were nowhere to be found. I was stumped.

I thought maybe the cashier had forgotten to place the items in my bag, so I decided to call the store. I told them my story, and the employee said yes, there were two packages of washi tape here. Someone found them and brought them inside.

I am so thankful for that customer who was honest and took them back into the store. Not everyone would have done that. It is nice to still see kindness in the world...even if it is just washi tape.

And now back to those pages!

I’m joining an open community of writers over at Sharing Our Stories: Magic in a Blog. If you write (or want to write) just for the magic of it, consider this your invitation to join us. #sosmagic

The time when we learn from our students...

 Although I am on Facebook, I am not friends with anyone local or with any family members. My account, with the exception of a couple college friends, is purely professional or teaching related. Whether that is a good decision or bad one, it is mine.

Today a local news page came up in my feed. As I was reading about a fire at a local pizza place, I noticed a former student had commented on it. I admit I was curious about him, so I went to his page and quickly scanned some of his posts. One of them caught my eye because it was a letter addressed to "Teachers who have ever doubted me." 

Of course I had to read it. And it broke my heart.

He said teachers knew him as "the kid who always slept in class or the kid who never turned in homework, and 'the difficult kid who would flip burgers and live on welfare'." (Quoting one of his former teachers.)

He admitted that yes, he was a high school drop out but also a kid who was currently working hard at two jobs. 

His final message was this, "So what I say to you is give everyone a fair chance at life--we all learn different, live different, do different, BECAUSE WE ARE DIFFERENT!"

Signed, the kid who you didn't bother to know.

Ouch! That hurts.

Back in January of 2020, I saw this student and wrote about him in my notebook that night. I share that page below.

Although I am a teacher, some days I do the teaching...and some days I do the learning. 

Today was one of those days.

Note: Quinten's post was public, so I feel it is OK to share here. I shared this notebook page with him on his page. He commented back and told me it made him smile...and few other things that I will keep just between teacher and student!

I’m joining an open community of writers over at Sharing Our Stories: Magic in a Blog. If you write (or want to write) just for the magic of it, consider this your invitation to join us. #sosmagic

Mapless Road

 

I am a mapless road,

 

ribboning through the countryside

guiding your turn after turn after turn.

 

Blinded by the late autumn sun

and clouded by your state of confusion,

you query your destination.

Dementia is a difficult thing to live with and even harder for loved ones to accept. We know we are not far from taking the keys. Each day we pray she still finds her way.

I’m joining an open community of writers over at Sharing Our Stories: Magic in a Blog. If you write (or want to write) just for the magic of it, consider this your invitation to join us. #sosmagic