Today I had a ray of sunshine enter my room – a former teacher I mentored the past two years stopped in for a visit. With the budget cuts, Bethany was let go at the end of last year. Thankfully, she was hired in at a nearby corporation. Bethany is on maternity leave and brought her darling baby daughter to have lunch with a few of us. Her hug made the dreariness of the days slide off. I miss her.
Bethany came to our school a few years ago, her first teaching assignment. She was full of ambition, ideas, and excitement. She still is. Each day, her smile spread cheer everywhere. As literacy coach, I modeled writer’s workshop in her class and reflected with her on a regular basis.
One afternoon as we were planning, I mentioned a prior school I had taught at. Bethany perked at the name. “I went to school there,” she said. I smiled. “When?”
“I went there the first year the school opened. I was in kindergarten,” Bethany stated.
My mind raced and I think my face flushed. “Bethany, my first year at H. Elementary was when it first opened.”
We started to laugh. I was teaching (and got married that year) when she was attending. Bethany brought in her yearbook and yep, there she was a cute little kindergartener and there I was a younger looking me. We shared our story with her class and stated that we had an important job teaching them. “One of you may teach alongside us in the future.”
Wow! I bet that was fun! It is strange to think that our current students may one day teach alongside us. Strange and very cool.
What a small world and a delightful story.
That’s so cool!
What a great slice. It’s good to have a ray of sunshine– both in the past and the present!
How incredibly special. I love when those small world moments happen. What a great moment to share with your students as well.