During a recent family reunion tour, my parents, my brother, and I visited the places where my brother and I grew up. 🏡It was a reunion of people, places, and memories that we will cherish forever. One morning, we had an opportunity to have brunch with several educators who my brother and I shared - our 5th grade teacher (Mrs. Patty Fowler), 8th grade social studies teacher (Ms. Kathy Logan), and high school guidance counselor (Ms. Sally O’Hare). 🏫 We hadn’t seen them in “many” decades - words cannot fully describe how wonderful it was to reconnect. 💖
Would you believe that our 5th grade teacher showed up with folders from both my class year and my brothers?! 📁 In this magical folder were cards and notes written by students as well as, incredibly so, a reminder that I had set the class record for reading the most books in that school year - 213 to be exact. This reminder was the original handwritten list I had compiled from >40 years ago. That she would remember, I was touched. 😍That she would keep such a thing, I was floored - and she gave it to me as a momento of our times together. (By the way, she also remembered that two years later, my brother tried to beat my record, but fell quite short at 86). 🙃
I’ve been reflecting on the role that these three tremendous educators played in contributing to the foundation of our adult journey - and those of countless students – as between the three of them they have 107+ years in the NJ school system. What stands out? Their kindness, their inclusiveness, their ability to teach/guide/coach us individually, focusing on bringing out the best in us. They invested themselves in each of us - and we were made better for it. They were and are true leaders. 👩🏼🏫👩🏽🏫👩🏻🏫What do you think? Too often, we neglect to view our educators as key leaders. They are the ones investing and guiding today’s minds - all for tomorrow’s future.👏🏽 Especially during this season of giving thanks, I’d like to say thank you to all of the teachers, educators, counselors, and coaches out there - past, present, and future.🙏In the words of Guy Kawasaki, “If you have to put someone on a pedestal, put teachers. They are society’s heroes”.
Do you remember your favorite teacher? ✨ Have you tried to reconnect with them now? I bet doing so would be meaningful for both of you…
“EDUCATION IS NOT THE FILLING OF A PAIL BUT THE LIGHTING OF A FIRE” ~ William Butler Yeats