A Tale of Two Terrific Teachers

Long, long ago, but not all that far away, Ms. J. was my second-grade teacher. She had an awe-inspiring cloud of an afro--typical of the '70's--that I absolutely adored (envied, really), and a clear commitment to teaching the over-sized class in her care.

Curricula were changing: it was the era of "new math," and well before the masses were hooked on them, phonics were then in their fledging stages. As a precocious reader by that point, the teaching of phonics insulted me...as did my late in childhood discovery of Sesame Street."C is for Cookie?" Well of course it is! (Now, my vast appreciation for the Children's Television Workshop makes me fully tail-between-my-legs ashamed of my elementary school arrogance.)

Just because I found the syllabically-centered course of phonics study demeaning didn't deter Ms. J. from her predetermined learning plan. Since I knew how to read, and phonics to my interpretation were simply a fool's tool for those who didn't, I tuned out Ms. J.'s extensive explanation of how to accomplish the test she distributed. Imagine my surprise and horror when my paper was returned with as many red "x's" as the sheet could contain. As I struggled to hold back the tears, a terse Ms. J. simply said, "A smart girl listens to directions and follows them." Ouch. Nothing quite like the sting of the truth.

Present day, Mrs. W. is Sarah's teacher. A precocious reader with lovely penmanship (when she tries), she (and her brother) find many of their in-class and homework assignments "boring" and "stupid." On more than one occasion I've been regaled with, "M--o-o-o-o-m, we'll probably still be learning about colors in college." Wherein I've tried to use the opportunity to remind them their school work isn't always about learning the material, but about doing their best without being asked, about taking their time, about focusing and not complaining, about acknowledging that all have a right to learn, and some take a bit longer than others. Deaf ears, often...but message repeated ad nauseum.

Flash forward to Tuesday afternoon: After play practice, we planned to take Sarah, Darren and a friend to Friendly's --the Le Cirque of the seven-year-old set--for dinner. When I declared she'd need to do her homework first, she declared, "I did it already at school and turned it in." Off to Friendly's we went.

Flash forward to Wednesday morning: Mrs. W. meets us at the classroom door, Sarah's homework in hand. "Sarah, you need to do this over. Not only did you not finish it, it is clearly not your best." Ouch. Nothing quite like the sting of the truth. Accepted with embarrassment from Mrs. W.'s hand, the half-hearted homework went to her face...no doubt an effort to mask the precipitous tears.

This Thursday, I'm thankful for the teachers---those who take the time and effort daily to dispense lessons that last a lifetime....and I'm not talking about phonics.

For more glimpses of gratitude, go on over and visit Nicole at What a Trip! for Thanksgiving Thursday!