Talk about your happy endings
I’ve only just now stopped crying.
I had this teacher back in fifth grade–Mr. George–and he was the first teacher I’d ever had who assigned creative writing projects. LOTS of them. I kept all my stories from that year, so any time I want to embarrass myself these days in front of a fifth grade class I read them out loud. One kid actually had the gall to ask me, “Why did it just end suddenly? Why didn’t it . . . you know, make sense?” I turned around and wrote on the white board: ART. Then I turned back to the class and said, “It was art. Don’t question it.”
Still my answer when someone wants to be all snarky about my work.
Anyway, in February of this year I went back to my elementary school to give a talk, and while I was there I mentioned to one of the older teachers that I wished I could find Mr. George and tell him how much he meant to me.
Done. She actually knew him. And knew his address.
I went home that day and sent him a letter telling him that I’ve grown up to be a novelist, and that I have his early encouragement to thank for that. I also included a copy of my book, and more important, a copy of the note he gave me at the end of fifth grade, which said: “I am convinced that in some future years my reading will include the writings of one Robin [maiden name].”
Then February went by. And March and April and so on. And I really just assumed I’d gotten the wrong guy, the wrong address, whatever.
Until about half an hour ago. My phone rang, and it was him.
He didn’t even say who it was at first. He just said, “I have a question–did Josh ever make that T-shirt?” (referring to the last line in my book). I think I already started crying by then, because I’d seen who it was on Caller ID.
Mr. George was so kind, so gracious, so lovely, and I couldn’t stop crying. He said he’d never gotten a letter from a student before, and it meant so much to him, and I just kept saying, “You meant so much to me!” and crying some more. A real phlegm fest.
The reason I’m telling you this, friends and fellow former students, is that I know there is some teacher out there who made a difference in your life. And in this age of Internet and Google and Switchboard.com, you really have very few excuses for not taking a few moments out of your hectic life to track down that teacher and tell him or her what he or she meant to you. I guarantee that the teacher will feel like a million bucks, and so will you.
Seriously. It’s one small thing we can all do to bring a little more love and compassion and gratitude into the world. Find your teachers and tell them. Then feel free to report back!
Technorati Tags: Teachers, Gratitude, Kindness, Compassion, Students
July 23rd, 2008 at 5:30 pm
LOL, I really can’t think of any teachers that I could contact that I wouldn’t begin the communication with “I am SOOOOOOO sorry….”
July 23rd, 2008 at 5:47 pm
Good point, Patrick. I hereby amend my post to add “or apologize.”
All you bad kids out there, step up . . .
July 23rd, 2008 at 6:21 pm
Wow. This gave me chills. I can tell that the greatest gift anyone can give someone is that letter, note, whatever of appreciation. As a teacher, these are affirmations that I chose such a wonderful career. Now I really need to look up one of my favorite teachers from fourth grade.
July 23rd, 2008 at 6:34 pm
I actually just sent a thank you to my third grade teacher to thank her for teaching me how to copyedit. In THIRD GRADE. I remember winning a holiday story contest while in her class and she gave me her home phone number to call her in case I won. And I think I got an honorable mention, but I called her at home anyway.
I’m going to take your advice, Robin, and write a wayyy overdue thank you to a teacher I had in third, fourth, and sixth grades. If I had to pick one influential person in my life besides my mom, it would be him.
July 23rd, 2008 at 6:54 pm
I think I should play it safe and just write to Mr. George and thank him for inspiring you.
July 23rd, 2008 at 7:09 pm
Jone, thanks for sharing your story from the teacher side!
Molly, that’s awesome! So great when a teacher goes out of her way like that–really showing she’s interested in her kids beyond just the school day. And yes, your fab teacher from 3rd, 4th, and 5th needs to know he was fab.
Patrick, good thinking. I’ll send you his address.
July 23rd, 2008 at 7:53 pm
You make me cry. And then Patrick makes me laugh. It’s like being hormonal.
July 24th, 2008 at 8:44 am
One of my former students contacted me last year out of the blue. He had read my students’ blogs and wanted to thank me for
using technology and showing others how to use it. He said I was his only teacher who did that, which is actually pretty sad.
Anyways I loved hearing from him and that he was doing well.
If I run into former students I love hearing what they are doing with their lives. So yes contact your former teachers cause we do care about you.
July 24th, 2008 at 9:15 am
Thank you Robin for this! It is nice to know we are appreciated!
I heard from a student of mine was in my 8th grade class and she was graduating this year. She said I was one of three teachers in her entire schooling that she wanted there to celebrate with her. Especially after the year I had with the students, I am glad to know that I still CAN make a difference.
Thank you Robin for contacting your teacher and making him feel so special!
July 24th, 2008 at 6:33 pm
What a beautiful story. There’s not much more significant in the life of a child than a teacher who knows how to reach him or her. In high school, I connected that way with three teachers–my biology teacher, my algebra 2 teacher, and my English teacher. Each of them knew her material well and obviously loved her field. That love was contagious! I need to thank them for making learning so much fun.
July 24th, 2008 at 6:50 pm
Shai and Readerdiane, it’s so nice to hear the story from the teacher’s side. Thanks for that! I’m sure your students do love you!
Kelley, I hope you do get in contact with those teachers. Who wouldn’t want to hear that they made a difference in a child’s (now adult’s) life?
Heather, it’s Patrick’s job to balance that out. I’m so happy he’s hard at work being irreverent.
July 25th, 2008 at 11:45 am
My kindergarten/first grade teacher, Mr. Allan, always had us writing stories. They were usually only a few pages long with one scentence on a page but still. I still have every story and there are times when i just read them and laugh at how silly they are. He was a big part of giving me a dream i have to live up to, i plan on being an author. I even know where he used to live, not sure if he still lives there, and he still is teaching at that school so if i ever wanted to i could go visit him.
So i totally understand what you are talking about Robin. I know that when i reach college i will look back and think that i wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for him. I probably would cry if he called me too.
July 26th, 2008 at 10:35 pm
AW! I just about started crying just reading about it! lol that’s so sweet! I think it’s great that you had a teacher inspire you so much, after all that’s one of the reasons they teach for right?
Anyways that’s so sweet!
July 27th, 2008 at 7:36 pm
Carli, that’s so great! Love to hear about teachers like that. I hope you tell him what he meant to you some day!
Dylan, I think you’re right–that is one of the reasons people go into teaching. Has to be, right? Otherwise how could they put up with all of us bratty kids?