I really started thinking about a teacher I had a long time ago in Jr. High. It was Friday about 3 PM, and as I drove toward my parents home I saw some Jr. Hight students walking around town. I knew that school was out, but as I pulled into the parking lot of my Jr. High, I hoped that he would be there still. (I know that I stay after school sometimes...ok alot!) Some kid was coming out of the school, skateboard in tote, and I slipped through the locked door.
It was the weirdest feeling to be back there...a place I thought I wouldn't ever be again. So many memories came flooding back as I remembered where classrooms were, my old lockers, certain hallways, and a plethora of other things. I climbed the stairs knowing that many years ago that was where his classroom was. As I was looking at the names on the doors I saw so many that I didn't know, but there were a few that I did. His name was not up there, and as I came back down the stairs I saw a teacher and asked where this teacher's class was. She said that he was now in the "English hall", which I remembered where it was oddly enough, and said she would take me there. I walked into his room and because of the many years, he looked at me wondering who I was. I told him that he might not remember me because it had been so long, but then told him my name and he remembered right away. We had a great time catching up and talking about being teachers. We also spent time remembering the things we did while I was in his class. I thanked him for being the kind of teacher that really helped me learn and to love learning, and that even now I was using the information that he had taught me. It was a great experience, and has caused me to think a lot this weekend. I hope that I am the kind of teacher that a student may remember.
2 comments:
What a great thing to do! You probably know what a good feeling it would be to have a student you taught come back in 10 years or so just to thank you for what you did. It made me remember the time I went in to see my old first grade teacher...about two years after I'd graduated from H.S. She still remembered me and so many memories came back to me in seeing her classroom again.
When I was working with PCAU I got to go to a lot of different schools even some of the ones I attended! I was assigned a faculty presentation at Roy Elementary one time and it was surreal. A few of them thought they recognized my face but none knew me by my married name. The coworker presenting with me felt compelled to inform them who I was. I was flattered that so many of my old teachers remembered me from almost 20 years ago and we had a lovely time catching up!
Teachers make such an impression on their students. I admire you so much for what you do!
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