I’m a wife, mom, daughter, sister, and aunt. This is my 21st year in the classroom as a teacher, but I basically grew up in one as a daughter to a teacher.
I think my mom was the one that inspired me to be a teacher. She was the best teacher ever. Mom taught Kinder through 2nd grade, and after 36 years she retired.
She grew up in Michigan, and after sliding her car into 2 snow drifts that first year of teaching, she went home and told my grandparents she was moving to California. And she did. And they followed her out here. :)
Growing up we always had the big family trip to help Mom set up her classroom. It was in a different town, kind of a commute, so the family loaded up the belongings and would spend a day at the end of the summer working together, helping mom. My sister and I would move the desks and take things out of cabinets. Dad would move the big furniture and help with bulletin boards, and Mom would do everything else. Dad would always go pick up Togo’s sandwiches from down the street, and we’d have a picnic in the classroom. When we had helped, we got to play with the toys that were tucked away or out on the playground, right outside her door.
Back then, when we had a day off of school, Mom would bring us to help her in her classroom. I got to be her TA, mostly at home, but also sometimes in her classroom. She would make the magic come alive for her little kids.
Oh, and the piles of papers... all those little readers we would fold and staple for her, the pages to rip out from the workbooks... There was always something to help with. I loved it. Every year Dad and Mom would sit down together to make the personalized name tags for her school kids. Dad would design it and then hand draw them over and over, Mom would write their names with her perfect handwriting. But that’s just what my family did. Family helped each other. Good memories.
When I got my first classroom, Mom made sure to come and help me too. I don't know if she ever understood why I gravitated to upper elementary. Her heart was for the little ones. But she still blessed me by coming to help. Both my parents did. I didn't have to be alone and be overwhelmed. She would help me find the next step.
Mom taught me a lot about teaching. How a career can be more than a job, it’s a passion. It’s a gift and to view it as a gift. How to be organized, how to be find your own nitch, how to be yourself. To love each kid, especially on their worst day. To see them as Jesus does. To be His hands and feet. To pray for them and their families. She taught me a lot about a lot of stuff. I miss her.
I wonder what she would think about this year. It’s been kind of crazy. It’s been 3 1/2 years but I can still remember one of our last deep conversations. She told me she was proud of me. Today, I want to pass on Mom’s message to you too.
“I’m proud of you, for what you have done and what you are going to do. For who you have become. You go out there and make a difference.”
I wish you could have all met her. She was the best.
Love you Mom.
