What Will They Remember?

It happened. I blinked one too many times, and on May 26, my daughter, Samantha, graduated from high school. Beginning on the day she was born, I was warned how fast the time goes, and now I see why. It seems like yesterday she was standing in the back corner of a stage, crying at her first dance recital, and now here we are, getting ready to send her to college, where she will major in elementary education.

We’ve spent weeks looking through pictures, viewing video footage from years past, and reminiscing about old times. I found it interesting to hear which events stood out in her mind and about the memories that flooded back to her. As she reminisced, I couldn’t help but notice how many times she mentioned school or one of her teachers.

She laughed when she spoke of making pancakes in Mrs. Hellberg’s room on the 100th day of school. She smiled when recalling Johnny Appleseed Day, being in a “band” with her friends, high school homecoming, and football games. She shared how nervous she was when she entered a new school as a fifth grader, and how the teachers made her feel so welcome. I learned that her first memory of being made fun of was when peers at her new school didn’t understand her desire to wear two different-colored, wild socks. And she shared how special she felt when Mrs. Erickson showed up at her birthday party after Sam invited her to join in the fun.

She burst into song when she remembered the melody Mrs. Flores taught students to help them remember the six pillars of character and told me she will use that same song with her students someday. She teared up as she remembered the day her class was told that one of her dear friends was fighting a brain tumor.

As Sam looked through pictures and shared memories, I thought about how blessed I am to be a teacher. As teachers, we have the ability to make a real difference in the way children perceive the world around them. Our attitudes and responses help shape the way children view and handle many situations, and our words, actions, and emotions are watched closely and felt deeply. When we embrace the blessing and responsibility of being a teacher, we can take comfort in knowing we help shape the future . . . literally.

Years from now our students will look back and remember little things we may not have deemed important at the time. I am filled with gratitude when I consider all the teachers who have made a difference in Sam’s life and hope that one day, your names and mine will be spoken with the same kind of tender reflection and regard.