Saturday, June 30, 2012

Why I Do What I Do

I became a teacher 32 years ago.  Over the decades, I have taught all the primary grades in 3 school districts, in 9 schools and for 11 principals.   A heckuva lot of kids have passed through my classroom.

After teaching at Squamish Elementary for a dozen years, I made the decision to change schools in September.  I am ready for a new challenge.

I am not good at good-byes.  Not at all. Good-byes make me very emotional.  I tried very hard to keep a stiff upper lip this week, but that lip trembled first thing on Thursday morning.

Before the 9:00am bell rang, one of my students came into the classroom with his Dad and older sister. He had sprouted a sunflower seed all by himself and presented me with that seedling in a pot of soil.  His sister, whom I had taught 8 years ago, presented me with a card that she had made herself the night before.


The card sported a very flattering drawing of me with my reading glasses slung around my neck.


Ashleigh was a delightful six year old.  Smart, funny, caring, kind.  She is now a smart, funny, caring, kind teenager going into Grade 9.

As I looked at her drawings of us,  my eyes were drawn to the upper right hand corner of the card.  There were the words: Top Five Things You Taught Me.


As I read numbers one through four, I smiled.  But when I got to number five, I lost it.  My face crumpled, geysers of tears shot from my eyes.  I looked at Ashleigh and mouthed the words 'thank you'.  We hugged each other tightly, neither one of us wanting to let go.  We held each other for a long time.  I told her how much her card meant to me.  It touched me deeply.

Ashleigh's card summed up everything I try to do as a teacher.  I teach my students practical things, interesting things.  I make school fun.  I teach them manners and number facts and how to read.  But most importantly I teach them that they are beautiful just the way they are.

Thank you, Ashleigh.  Your card made my day.  Your card made my life!  I will look at it always and remember that little girl from long ago who grew into a beautiful young woman.  I am so honoured to know I played a small part.  

Thank you.

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