Thursday, August 20, 2009

The Mark

Pin It A teacher has students which enter the doors of his classroom every year. Every single one of those students leaves an imprint.

For some of them that impression fades slowly over time; like telltale footprints left in the shifting sands of life—

For others, their tracks are made in the proverbial ‘wet cement’ of memory. Small marks are left behind to call attention to those who’ve made a lasting impression; whether that is from responsibility they’ve evidenced…perhaps because of their kindness, or simply it was from their positive attitude which set them apart and made them so memorable.

These are the students which are so hard to see move on.

These are the students you hope that you’ve made your mark on as well.

7 comments:

MindyElias said...

This is beautiful and I believe that it's when we aren't looking that we realize that we have indeed left a mark....

Especially after 10 years! (I too just celebrated 10 years as a branch executive woohoo!)

10 years is good..........imagine the amount of lives you've touched in that amount of time.

whew!

Corine Moore said...

"There's a ripple effect in all that we do, what you do touches me, what I do touches you." -don't remember the name of the author.

This is true with everyone we come into contact with, in or out of school.

I'm glad for all of your students, that you are a school teacher. It is people like you who are the reason I ever let my kids go at all! (I am excited to home school them again!)

Thanks so much for sharing! :D I really love to read your words (which show a glimpse and glimmer of you :D)! You are so very rare and wonderful!

Corine Moore said...

PS None of my kids ever had a teacher as good as you... you are just too rare for most kids to be so lucky.

mamahasspoken said...

Amen!

Janett said...

You left a mark! I can see it on every kid that you've worked with that has now moved on. Whether it's the way they get up from a chair and make sure they push it in or the way they have the courage to stand in front of their peers and read to them, or just the way they can be more confident in themselves. You HAVE left a mark. THANK YOU, not just for the mark on my boy but on every child you teach. You're priceless!

Anonymous said...

Very true...but it sounds like you have definitely left your mark.

This made me think of Joey. Will we be having more adventures with Joey, or will you be moving on to another student? I don't want to see him go. ;)

L

Teachinfourth said...

M - Some people would say you cannot measure them all because of the ripple effect that Corine mentioned in her comment. I love how the movie "Pay it Forward" illustrates this point with the poignant ending when you really 'see' so many of the lives touched by one simple act of kindness...

C - Thanks for continually coming back, Cory; I'm not the greatest teacher in the world, just one who tries his best and sometimes gets it right.

M - I had to compose this particular post because I had a student move this week to Kansas; it just got me to thinking when he asked me to write in a book for him.

J - Coming to this school was a good decision; I am so glad that I was able to get to know 'that boy' of yours and you as well. You'd be surprised just how many lives you touch each day as well.

L - I've had a few small 'moments' with that kid...I know there'll be more as the year goes on and I'm sure there will also be other Joeys as well.

He really is one of a kind though...I'm pretty sure that you haven't heard the last of him just yet.

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