In about a month, I will be finishing up my 25th year of teaching. My husband talks about retirement, but I honestly can't envision that. I love what I do. It hasn't always been a joy, but I am so glad that I persevered when met with obstacles that tried to derail me. I will be the first to admit that I wasn't always the best teacher and mistakes that I made along the way sometimes pop into my head. I sometimes wish that the teacher I am now could go back and help the teacher that I was 25 years ago.
I wish I had kept track of the number of students that I have seen come and go from my classroom over the years. I would guess that there have been about 2500 of them. The problem with being a teacher is that more often than not, at the end of the year, when seniors graduate, students move, or if you're in a large school, it's difficult to keep contact with students that were in your class, you are left wondering what happened to them. I am wondering today.
I wonder what happened to Jennifer. In a school of over 1,800 students, she ended up in 3 of my classes one semester. We got to know each other pretty well that year. I remember her telling me that she had broken up with her boyfriend. He was abusive to her, but they had a child together so cutting the ties was very difficult. He had threatened to have her killed. I also remember the days when she would come in to class and not make eye contact with me. I knew that she had gone back to him and didn't want to tell me. I think about the students that went home every day to situations that were horrific. I remember wishing that I could scoop them up and take them home so I could protect them. Were they able to rise above? I wonder about the student who aspired to be a fashion designer and kept me on my toes in sewing class with her ideas. I wonder about the students who struggled with addictions. I wonder about the students who became parents. Did I equip them to be successful? I wonder about the students who fought me. Do they look back now and understand that I was doing my best to help them find success in life? I wonder about the students who seemed to find school easy for them. Did they challenge themselves? I wonder about the students who often blended in and sometimes fell through the cracks because they were seen as average. Did they find a place in the world where they were valued for who they were and the uniqueness that unfortunately went unrecognized by many?
I have been blessed with phenomenal students this year, especially my seniors. They may not all excel with their grades or always get their work turned in, but overall they have been wonderful to work with in the classroom and FCCLA. I will miss them. I thought of them this morning and my heart broke a little. I know that they will graduate soon and venture into the world that is waiting for them. Over the last few years, I have traveled with some of them and heard their hopes and dreams on those long trips and layovers in the airport. The young man who wants to use his story to touch others through ministry and motivational speaking. The young lady who is excited about attending a culinary arts academy to become a chef. The FCCLA members who I have seen grow in their confidence and leadership. The list could on and on.
Every once in awhile, I am fortunate and a student from days gone by will pop back into my life. A student that I shared a classroom with 25 years ago and 500 miles away will recognize me in a parking lot and we will be able to reconnect. A student will find me on Facebook and I will get the joy of seeing that they not only survived, but are thriving. A student may come to school and drop by my classroom when they are back in town, just to say "hi". If I'm honest, I may not always remember the name, but each one of them is in my heart.
Today I am wondering. I am wondering what happened to all those kids that wandered through my doors, never by chance or random scheduling, but because one or both of us had something to learn and offer each other. I am wondering what the future holds for the ones that wander through my doors for just a few more weeks, whether it's to be in class or to choose from the basket of lotions that I keep on my desk just for them, knowing that sometimes it's not about the lotion, but about touching base with someone they know truly cares about them. I wonder who God will put in my classroom next year and I am excited!!! Whether you were one of the thousands that were already there or the many that I hope are to come, know that I love you, I care about you, I pray for you.
I wish I had kept track of the number of students that I have seen come and go from my classroom over the years. I would guess that there have been about 2500 of them. The problem with being a teacher is that more often than not, at the end of the year, when seniors graduate, students move, or if you're in a large school, it's difficult to keep contact with students that were in your class, you are left wondering what happened to them. I am wondering today.
I wonder what happened to Jennifer. In a school of over 1,800 students, she ended up in 3 of my classes one semester. We got to know each other pretty well that year. I remember her telling me that she had broken up with her boyfriend. He was abusive to her, but they had a child together so cutting the ties was very difficult. He had threatened to have her killed. I also remember the days when she would come in to class and not make eye contact with me. I knew that she had gone back to him and didn't want to tell me. I think about the students that went home every day to situations that were horrific. I remember wishing that I could scoop them up and take them home so I could protect them. Were they able to rise above? I wonder about the student who aspired to be a fashion designer and kept me on my toes in sewing class with her ideas. I wonder about the students who struggled with addictions. I wonder about the students who became parents. Did I equip them to be successful? I wonder about the students who fought me. Do they look back now and understand that I was doing my best to help them find success in life? I wonder about the students who seemed to find school easy for them. Did they challenge themselves? I wonder about the students who often blended in and sometimes fell through the cracks because they were seen as average. Did they find a place in the world where they were valued for who they were and the uniqueness that unfortunately went unrecognized by many?
I have been blessed with phenomenal students this year, especially my seniors. They may not all excel with their grades or always get their work turned in, but overall they have been wonderful to work with in the classroom and FCCLA. I will miss them. I thought of them this morning and my heart broke a little. I know that they will graduate soon and venture into the world that is waiting for them. Over the last few years, I have traveled with some of them and heard their hopes and dreams on those long trips and layovers in the airport. The young man who wants to use his story to touch others through ministry and motivational speaking. The young lady who is excited about attending a culinary arts academy to become a chef. The FCCLA members who I have seen grow in their confidence and leadership. The list could on and on.
Every once in awhile, I am fortunate and a student from days gone by will pop back into my life. A student that I shared a classroom with 25 years ago and 500 miles away will recognize me in a parking lot and we will be able to reconnect. A student will find me on Facebook and I will get the joy of seeing that they not only survived, but are thriving. A student may come to school and drop by my classroom when they are back in town, just to say "hi". If I'm honest, I may not always remember the name, but each one of them is in my heart.
Today I am wondering. I am wondering what happened to all those kids that wandered through my doors, never by chance or random scheduling, but because one or both of us had something to learn and offer each other. I am wondering what the future holds for the ones that wander through my doors for just a few more weeks, whether it's to be in class or to choose from the basket of lotions that I keep on my desk just for them, knowing that sometimes it's not about the lotion, but about touching base with someone they know truly cares about them. I wonder who God will put in my classroom next year and I am excited!!! Whether you were one of the thousands that were already there or the many that I hope are to come, know that I love you, I care about you, I pray for you.
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