Twenty years ago in my very first teaching job, I had the best mentor ever. She was a dynamo and she guided me the same way she taught. T. helped me become the teacher I am by setting a great example, letting me make mistakes, and allowing me develop my own style. When a class begins, I still say "Let me see who I can thank for being on the ball?" as I look around a group of students in varying states of readiness. Even though these are sixth graders and those were first graders, everybody wants to be noticed for the positive and they all get ready. I have so much I wish I could tell her. Today I saw a postcard she sent school with her beautiful twin boys and her
two Yorkies. She has Yorkies! I can't believe it.
I have her address so I think I will write to her. I came home and googled her so for now here is a link to an article about her.
T. and her school for living graciously
Amazingly, just last year when one of our former first graders Melissa C. became my assistant because of the brain injury, I found a copy of T.'s "Signs of Civility" and hung it on my wall. I
really try to be a nice person.
Here is my Yorkie Lily with me at one of my favorite places in the world , discussing my art with the rest of my class.
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1 comment:
That's really nice Aly! I hope you do write to her. What are her "Sign's of Civility"? That would be interesting to post.
I LOVE Yorkies and have been begging for one fore 25 years. I even have her name picked out (Djuna - after Djuna Barnes, the writer). I keep popping back to the video you posted on here of Molly jumping out of her crate and Lilly hiding in the corner).
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