Gifts from Former Students?
I have had a couple of years now of teaching high school students, and being on the receiving end of some wonderful (and completely unnecessary) gifts. In fact, as I type I am digging into some Hershey Kiss cookies (we call them Kiss Krinkles) that were dutifully delivered by a student who doesn't enjoy the class much but whose mom probably felt it was a good idea anyway. And I really appreciate every bite of them.
This year, I experienced something I had not heard about before: Gifts from former students. I cannot tell you how surprised I was by this - especially since these students are off at college, not just advanced to the next grade. How touching is that?
The first was yesterday, when I met up with three former students for brunch. They told me about college at rival schools, and gave me a beautiful and hillarious book they had written about what it means to be an AP student. I was swelling with pride as their book explained what nerds they have become in each of the subjects they took at the AP level - including my beloved physics, of course.
The second time was today, when a student who graduated two years ago called me and said he'd like directions to stop by my house. It was unexpected but not at all unwelcome - he goes to college in the area and I meet up with him about once a month. He stopped by today and handed me a very heavy gift. I opened it and was quite surprised to find he had given me a gorgeous book on astronomy and cosmology called "Universe".
I have been taken off guard and thoroughly humbled by these two gifts and the sentiments attached to them. I just had to share.
This year, I experienced something I had not heard about before: Gifts from former students. I cannot tell you how surprised I was by this - especially since these students are off at college, not just advanced to the next grade. How touching is that?
The first was yesterday, when I met up with three former students for brunch. They told me about college at rival schools, and gave me a beautiful and hillarious book they had written about what it means to be an AP student. I was swelling with pride as their book explained what nerds they have become in each of the subjects they took at the AP level - including my beloved physics, of course.
The second time was today, when a student who graduated two years ago called me and said he'd like directions to stop by my house. It was unexpected but not at all unwelcome - he goes to college in the area and I meet up with him about once a month. He stopped by today and handed me a very heavy gift. I opened it and was quite surprised to find he had given me a gorgeous book on astronomy and cosmology called "Universe".
I have been taken off guard and thoroughly humbled by these two gifts and the sentiments attached to them. I just had to share.
posted by Wulf at
10:46 PM
3 Comments:
This is so wonderful for you, Wulf. It is when you know that what you do with your time, your strength, your heart, and your life are more than the pain and frustration and disillusionment that come with. When your former students (who have had time to figure it out) realize how you have influenced their lives for the better -- and take the time to show you how important you are, you know that you are doing great work in the world.
By
graycie, at 11:32 AM
Graycie, this is the type of thing I expect will jump to mind the next time I am getting a whole lot of bad attitude and inattention from my current students.
By
Wulf, at 6:31 PM
For the life of me, I can't recall what TV show I saw it on, but I've always remembered a scene in which a student--upon graduating--told his teacher "I'm a better person for having known you."
That always struck me as a particularly important thing to tell a teacher -- and a particularly important thing for a teacher to hear -- so I told my high school history teacher just that upon graduating. He really deserved it.
It sounds to me like your former students were saying that same thing.
By
Anonymous, at 9:20 PM
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