Polimom’s AC (Adorable Child) is very sad tonight — and what’s breaking her heart isn’t something I can fix.
She’s losing her teacher. Not just any teacher, but the very special person who helped give voice to her dreams and tapped into places she didn’t know existed.
Under his tutelage, she soared.
Letting her cry tonight — knowing how she’ll miss him — brought back memories of my own childhood. I remembered the fourth grade teacher who made me love fractions (what a gift she had!), and the music teacher who encouraged me to compose and perform.
Wherever those educators are tonight, I hope they feel my warm, grateful thoughts… because they helped me yet again, all these many years later. I was able to bring them to life as I explained to AC that the gifts her teacher gave her — burgeoning confidence, and a truly impressive writing talent — are hers to keep. She owns them now, just as I am still able to mentally manipulate fractions like others eat candy, or sink into melodies and play my own internal harmonies.
Teachers are such towering figures in our childhoods, and rare indeed are those who are able to touch our lives so deeply that their gifts linger into adulthood. As sad as we are about losing this generous, astoundingly talented person, AC experienced one of the most wonderful school years she’ll ever know.
So this post goes out to Mr. Connelly tonight — with deep sadness, and profound gratitude.
Thank you, teacher, for all that you gave us.
A teacher's gift
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Okay, but when will we decide that paying teachers a reasonable salary is more important than paying an athlete an exhorbitant sum?
Watched Blackboard Jungle the other night. Same issues, nearly 50 years ago. Teachers not getting paid enough. These are the people to whom we entrust our children, and thus our children’s future.
We gotta do better. But thanks for thanking teachers. I feel the same way. These are the true heroes of our society.
From a high school teacher — thank you for this very nice post.
Slate –
It’s true, yes, that many teachers are not paid nearly enough… but I have to say that for some (like Mr. Connelly in my post), there isn’t a number one could put on that. What could possibly compensate in kind?
I’m not in any way saying that they are not deserving – quite the opposite, in fact. But some things are priceless.
Forester –
You’re very welcome. (smile…) I hope that you’ve had a year like this – where an entire group came together with your guidance and reached entirely new places within themselves. It is an amazing thing to behold.
I know Mr. Connelly, too, and I am so grateful to him for the wonderful gift he has given the children entrusted to his care. Our hearts should be so filled with gratitude to him. The measure of our lives is truly what we give to others, and by that measure, the only measure that matters, Mr. Connelly is a great man.