When people tell me that they envy me being able to retire, I know it is because they wish they could, too. That's how I felt three to five years ago, when our school was a rough place to work. Not bad students, not violence, just toxic administration and board. I try not to think about that anymore.
When they talk about their desire to quit working, I remind them that their time will come all too soon. I also remind them that I have been in school since the day after Labor Day in 1957. Wow. That seems like a long time. I'm sure the parents of some of our younger teachers weren't born then!
I was thinking about some of my grade school teachers today--Mrs. Swanson, my kindergarten teacher who taught me the importance of regular snacks and naps. Mrs. Gates, who in first grade instilled discipline and a love of poetry. Mrs. Leach who laughed a lot. Mrs. Walton, my third grade teacher who taught us to sing and dance. Mrs. Pidrak who in sixth grade helped us through the trauma of a presidential assasination.
I'm sure that my school would have been on a watch list, if we had such a thing then, but I sure learned a lot of great things from these folks.
I hope I have helped my students to learn at least a small fraction of the useful, and not so useful things, that have made my life so rich.
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