School Days by Bea Tifton

 I’m filling in for the lovely and talented Caroline Clemmons.

I was a teacher and then a school librarian for a total of 20 years. It’s a terrible, wonderful job with much heartbreak and many rewards. The working conditions for teachers are appalling in most of today’s schools, but the kids can make it all worthwhile.  I had many amazing memories as an elementary school teacher in particular.

When I taught second grade, I had one very shy little boy whose father was originally from Norway. He was so sweet and I never had a bit of trouble with him. I talked with him but, having been painfully shy as a child, I didn’t force things. One day when I was sitting at my desk he came up to me and said “I would like to sing you a Norwegian lullaby.” I was very surprised, but of course I said yes. In the perfect, pure voice of a young child, he sang me the song his mother sang to him each night. I was so touched that I almost choked up. What a gift and a show of trust he gave me.

My first year of teaching, one sweet, studious, and shy little boy with a face covered in adorable freckles and big, thick glasses had an obvious crush on me, as some boys do on their teachers. For the last day of class, I told the kids they could sit anywhere in the classroom. My little admirer yelled, “Whoo hoo! I’ve been waiting for this all year!” and scooted his desk right next to mine.

I had one particularly boisterous child one year. He was a big kid for his age, and he was quite disruptive. But it was always just cheerful clowning as that boy didn’t have a mean bone in his body. His name was Little ___, because of course his father was Big ___. Little already played football and he played it well, so the other teachers and I hoped he’d ride that train as far as  he possibly could. I talked to his mother, who was wonderful and supportive, almost every day for one reason or another, even just because she wanted a status report. The next year, I was standing in the hall after school talking to a teacher friend of mine and I threw my arms out wide as I told my story. Threw them out wide just as Little came tearing around the corner. Umph! And he was down. I helped him up, brushed him off, and anxiously asked if he was okay. He laughed, gave me a cheeky smile, and continued on his way, walking this time.

I thought, Oh, great. I’m really going to get in trouble for this one. I just knocked a student on his rear, albeit accidentally. I immediately called his mother and told her what had happened. She laughed and said “Oh, honey, you’ve probably been waitin’ to do that for a year!”

I have so, so many more memories of my time as an educator. Some funny, some touching, and some not so great. Be kind to your teachers, folks. It’s a tough job and they do it out of love.

Photo Credits: Pexels.com
Andrea Piacquadio "Strict Female Teacher with Book Pointing at Scribbled Blackboard"
cottonbro studio "A Choirboy in a Bow Tie Singing in Church"
RDNE Stock project "Young Boy Wearing Blue Backpack"
Pixabay "Boy Playing Football"
Yan Krukau "Group of Preschoolers with Their Teacher"