“They may forget what you said but they will never forget how you made them feel.”
Yesterday we had a torrential rainstorm most of the day and night, and with the rain came a cold to the bone chill. The sun is shining now, but it does little to dispel that chill. The sun has the look of winter about it when its sole purpose is to light the day. Some parts of the state have already had snow. Winter has its foot in the door.
Francisca is here. I picked her up yesterday. We hugged for the longest time then we talked all the way down to the cape. She looks forty years different, but her laugh is the same. We are both amazed that we have finally found each other again. She told me she speaks of me often, and when she and my other students get together, I am always mentioned in their conversations.
It is seldom that a teacher finds out the impact she had on her students. You stand there in front of class after class and hope that your words have taken hold and found a home. It isn’t just the teaching of English that happens in the classroom. It is helping your students realize that there are no boundaries. I learned way back when never to underestimate a single student, even the slowest of learners, and I learned that encouragement and faith are far more important than a simple sentence or the uses of adverbs. Francisca was among my brightest students and she went far, even to a master’s degree and becoming, for a time, a government minister. She is filled with energy and enthusiam even though she keeps telling me she is old. Francisca is, as she said, only six years my junior, but I am her mother.
Today we are taking a cape ride so I can show how beautiful it is here where I live. I already know how beautiful it is where Francisca lives.
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October 28, 2011 at 12:58 pm
Its grey and dull here today but rather warm. I didn’t need a jacket on our walk today either.
As You say, never underestimate a student! I’ve learned many people how to become painters and it is amazing how those one first thought never would be able to learn anything later on became the best painters we had 🙂
I can imagine how fun it must be to have Francisca in Your home now after all thses years! And how often does one have a former government minister in the home 🙂
Have a great day!
Christer.
October 28, 2011 at 4:01 pm
Christer,
really cold here today-a feeling of winter in the air, and I turned on my heat.
Sometimes we put limits on people without ever thinking about it, and they respond by accepting those limits. We have to teach limitless!
She is first my former student rahther than anything else.
October 28, 2011 at 1:23 pm
Hi Kat,
It snowed up here and it was so much fun to drive home in it at 9:30PM last night. But I took some pretty pictures when I did get home so it was not completely unpleasant. The dog was confused. He forgets about snow.
Have a great time with your friend. The Cape must be lovely right now even if it is cold.
October 28, 2011 at 4:02 pm
Hi Caryn,
I just can’t get my head ready for snow. I still want flaming trees and fall days.
Gracie hates rain but doesn’t mind the snow.
We went for a ride downcape today, and she loved it.
October 28, 2011 at 2:11 pm
Are you going to show her Boston?
October 28, 2011 at 4:03 pm
Z&Me,
She has never been to the cape before so that’s where I’m playing tour guide. Boston we’ll save for another time.
October 28, 2011 at 5:30 pm
Oh Kat, that made me cry. I wish you both the very best during her stay.
Waving,
Lori
October 28, 2011 at 5:34 pm
Thanks, Lori!
We had a great ride!!
Waving back!!