SATURDAY STUDENT MEMORIES #1

Since Saturdays are not counting days, I am going to dedicate them to fond students memories from the past 29 years... And since this young MAN is turning 18 today, I'll start with him....

"Kaylen, Kaylen, Kaylen..." -words I muttered often to this very capable, creative, 6 year old daydreamer. Energetic and always with something to say... usually coming up with excuses or defending his position in class. 

A kid like that can drive a teacher crazy! Or he can make you fall in love with his spirit and sense of humor. He did both for me. Even in his most challenging moments, he made me laugh. When I think of the 6 year old today, he still makes me laugh... and shake my head too!

When he left Room 7, I would run into him at school and our "conversations aka...lectures from my 1st grade teacher, would always start the  same, "Are you doing your best? Are you listening to your teacher? Are you following directions?" 

I am sure when you are 7, 8, 9, and 10 the last thing you want to do is run into your first grade teacher and have her grill and drill you about your class performance every time you cross paths. I am sure he did a lot of head shaking too. But yup, I think that is pretty much how it went each time. Maybe I should have said, "Hi, how are you doing?" Hindsight. 

What I was really trying to say to him was... Kaylen, I believe in your abilities and expect you to live up to them because I don't want you to waste your talents when you have so much to offer.

Fast forward to spring of 2014, when an unexpected tall, handsome, young man walked through my door after school. His mom was with him and didn't think I would recognize him, but the first thing I said to myself was that's Kaylen! Same face. Same smile. Did I mention how tall he was?

I was also very happy to see his mother with him. When you are a teacher, you don't just work with students, you get to know families. And if you are really lucky, those families also touch your life, like many of mine have touched mine. I remember Krystal not because she was raising this young man and working hard to get her schooling to become a nurse, which she did... what I remember most was her reaction when I told her at Kaylen's parent conference that I would be taking some time off because I was adopting a child. Instead of concern that her child would have a sub, she express shear joy for me, for us, and that will be a reaction I will never forget. It really assured a terrified parent to be that it would be okay.

Fast forward to spring of 2016 when I was privilege enough to be one of a few ticket holders to the graduation of that very capable, creative, dreamer. He is living up to his potential and talents... and this fall he starts at my alma mater SDSU. How cool is that? I'm a lucky teacher!

I can't wait to fast forward again...