Yesterday I was in a local big box store and ran into a former student. We hugged and he walked with me for a while and I got caught up with his current plans. While we were talking, another student from WAY back when I taught middle school (over 20 years ago!) came by. We hugged but didn’t get to talk much. She doesn’t know it, but I always say she was one of MY best teachers ever. She had several disabilities that I won’t go into here, but she showed us the meaning of resilience and having a good perspective on life.
Coincidentally, perhaps, I just finished a pencil drawing of another former student. This young lady had a rough start in life but caught a break when she was younger. Her options after graduation were limited but she had a plan. I haven’t seen her since the last day of that school year but I’m sure she stuck to her plans to improve her life.
I used to have a sign on the back of my classroom door that read: All of my students are a joy, some when they enter the room, some when they leave! These students I’ve mentioned, and many more, were the ones you didn’t want to leave the room.
The Art of Joy A. McGugan 