As a teacher, I cannot recall the number of times that a student has misspoken and rather than call me "Mrs. Renfro" they instead called me "Mom". Later as time went on, they would let the word "Grandma" accidentally be spoken. Always with an embarrassed look upon their face, they would say that they really meant to call me by my correct name. I just smiled, well except for the first time someone called me "Grandma".
That time was different but I got over it quickly.
One of the first things that I learned as a teacher was the awareness of just how many waking hours a child has in my care. For a good 7-hour stretch of the day, everything that we say and do is done together. For better or worse, it's my job to teach them in the best way I know that is possible. Hours that are spent in the classroom can never be retrieved again.
Once there was a kid who said to me,
"You know what teacher? It's like you are our mom and we are your kids."
And actually, that's kind of/sort of right.
I have often said to my students throughout the course of the last 4 decades,
"You know, I'm not your mother or your parent. But I am your teacher. I need to teach you and train you up in the way that your parents would wish for you to be."
And so I do.
I'm enough "old school" to allow the girls to line up in front of the boys at times. I still ask my boys to remove their caps inside of the building and when they ask me why, I remind them that it is considered good manners. When birthday treats comes to school, no one gets to eat until all are served and the birthday kid takes the first bite. When there are difficulties in class and feelings get hurt, I have taught them to work it out amongst themselves and to shake hands while asking forgiveness.
And the list goes on and on and on.
So if I get called "Momma", "Nana", or even "Great-Aunt Mary", I figure it's ok to take that as a compliment. I will continue through what very few remaining days there will be in my career to do just what I've been doing since August of 1979.
Training kids up in the way that they should go.
Happy Mother's Day everyone out there! I miss mine.
This very dear and sweet woman became my friend long, long ago. Jan shared her two kids with me during my first year of becoming a teacher. She trusted me and looking back at it now, nearly 40 years later, I realize what a gift she gave to me. Thank you my dear friend!
Amy
Michael
Once long ago they called me "teacher". As a matter of fact and come to think about it, they still do today.
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