:)

I often wonder if I am too connected. With Facebook, Blogger, E-mail, cell phone...people pretty much always know what I am doing. I am reachable at any time. Is it unnatural to be so accessible? I'm not sure I have the answer to that question yet, but I do have an interesting story. Yesterday on Facebook, I was put in contact with my 8th grade teacher, Mrs. Broadsky. I remember her well. She was one of my favorite teachers, and guided us all through our first term papers. I did mine on the Blue Whale. When we graduated in 1997, she retired. She was so encouraging, unfailingly positive, and always ready to guide her students tenderly through what we as 8th graders thought was the most confusing and dramatic time of our lives. In fact, I can't believe all the memories that Mrs. B brings back. I remember well all of the teachers at my elementary school, and how each one helped me along my way. It is truly amazing the impact that teachers can have on their students lives. I know I will always remember them.
Yesterday when I got home from work Brian was telling me about about some trouble his sister, who is a teacher, was having with a student. She teaches 2nd grade, and one student was giving her problems, and acting out continuously in class. She called a meeting with the child's parents, presumably in hopes that they could tackle this problem together. The students father came in, and when confronted with his child's bad behavior, was defensive to the point that he launched a personal attack on her character. He made it about race. He had no intention of working as a team with the teacher who had reached out to him for the sake of his child. Unfortunately, his kid is the one he really hurt by reacting that way. Anyway, the point is that she reached out. And that although it's only natural to be discouraged and upset by the irrational dad that she met with that day, 98% of the kids in the classroom that she walks into every morning, will remember her in 15 years, and throughout their lives. Maybe they'll find her on Facebook, and thank her, as I did yesterday with my teacher. Maybe she was the only consistent thing in their lives that year, or the only smile they saw each day. Brian was wondering out loud last night as he was telling me about this...why in the world does she teach in such a rough area? Although we both agreed that it's commendable, it can't be easy. Nothing that's worth it ever is.
My teacher from 8th grade, Mrs. B, got on facebook 6 days ago, and has since had 75 connections made from previous students, all with fond memories. It made me think of Melissa, and hope that she knows that although there will ALWAYS be difficult people to deal with no matter what job you have, she will always have students that look back and remember her. Who was your 2nd grade teacher? Mine was Mrs. Tyler. :)

**some details of this post have been changed to protect the identity of the characters....like the fact that Brian's sister teacher FIRST grade...not 2nd. duh. :)