Memorable Students

A lot has been written about the memorable teachers people have had over the years. For better or worse, they often leave a lasting impression. But I don’t often come across written reflections about memorable students. As a teacher of 40ish years, I treasure the memories of those students who, for one reason or another, stick with me to this day. Social media has made it easy to find these students wherever they are (not in a creepy way, I promise!!), and for me, that is a true gift

Here’s one of many memories: L, a joyful 2nd grader, loved to sing, and frequently broke into song at random moments. She had a huge heart. She was especially close to her buddy B, who was equally as loving and generous of heart. But when B suddenly lost his father, she was his self-assigned angel at school. Her empathy was his salve, in a way that only some children naturally know how to express like L did.

They are almost 30 years old now. They are still in touch. I got to surprise her at her work one day, and we hugged and cried. She still has that huge heart. PS She became a teacher. Lucky students.