It’s nice to know that you’re needed. We all go through life, day to day and wonder sometimes if we are significant. Do the things I do mater to anyone else? Do they appreciate my work and time? Then something that seems so simple happens and it confirms your existence and life.
I had been absent for two weeks from school for an illness. Different substitutes had gone in and out of my room through those weeks and had done their best to follow my lesson plans. Same lessons, same activities, worksheets and homework, as if I was there. I had gone in to check things in my classroom on Sunday evening to see if my classroom was a mess and to get things ready for my return the next day.
On my desk tied with a red bow was a stack of get well cards made from construction paper. I untied the red bow that obviously was tied by a child because it had several knots in it. I looked at the first card. It had a picture of me drawn with crayon on the front with a rainbow in the background and red hearts drawn around the edges. I opened up the card to read the inside, "Get Well Mrs. Smith. I miss you! I have been really good this week!" The students had marked out the word really. As I sat at my desk and read each hand made card, including the one that said, "Roses are dead and violets are gray, and the night is as black as night when you are not here. Please come back Mrs. Smith. I miss you!” tears began to fill up my eyes and stream down my face. Not tears of sorrow, but tears of, I guess, more of relief. Relief of the realization that I do matter, I am needed, and if I am not there, I am truly missed. My life is significant to other people, even if they are just 7 and 8 years old. I will always treasure those hand-made cards.
It's funny how little things can make a huge difference in our lives.
Julie,
I absolutely agree that it's nice to be needed. I think as teachers, we often wonder if we are having a consistent impact on our students. Sometimes, when we are gone, we do find out in subtle ways how much we are missed.
Comments (3)
Anonymous said
at 10:40 am on Oct 18, 2008
That is so sweet. It is great to know how much your students miss you when your gone. Even though your lesson plans were completed the students missed out on the opportunity to learn those lessons from you. You are definitely needed.
Anonymous said
at 10:50 am on Oct 18, 2008
Julie a parent once told me that once now that I was their child's teacher, they could no longer teach them anything because the teacher was always right. I felt kind of special.
I do know how you feel, as a mother as well, I often feel that I would only be missed because the dishes and laundry would pile up. Mary
Anonymous said
at 12:12 pm on Oct 18, 2008
You are obviously making a great difference. Glad you are well again and back to the kids who need you!
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