One of the best days

Looking back on my 13 years in the classroom, my favorite memories have more to do with the relationships I developed with my students.  Being in a building that housed the entire district was special for many reasons. One of those included the ability for former students to just walk down the hall to pay a visit. I often asked how their school year was going but enjoyed hearing about their friendships, relationships, jobs and just life outside of school. At the end of one particular school year, I received a very special letter in my mailbox. It was a letter from a former student who was about to graduate high school. She explained how my lessons about writing had inspired her as a runner. You see, I taught her in the sixth grade. As a way to connect with the students, I often used personal experiences when demonstrating essay writing. I would show students how to write a personal narrative by demonstrating with my own essay that talked about my experiences running marathons. This student went on to run cross country and track in high school. I never once thought that her running was inspired by what I considered a simple writing lesson. What a gift!

Teaching with Empathy

LibbieS.