There are times when I really miss spending my days with school children. When I first started teaching, one of my wise teammates suggested that I keep a file in my desk drawer to keep the nice notes and cards from students and parents over the years. I took her advice and still have that treasured file, even though I’ve been retired for five years. While I was going through a box of my old teaching materials the other day, looking for something for my grandson, I pulled that file out and reread some of those notes and best wishes. One stood out for me and felt like the “compliment of a lifetime.” It had to do with reading aloud with my students, something that was the anchor of my day with all the different groups of children I worked with over my twenty-seven year career. A mom wrote it to me toward the end of a school year, just a short note on a nice little card, and it still warms my heart.
Since my daughter is going to miss reading books with you more than anything else in her school life so far — would you have any recommendations for summer reading, books you wish you would have had more time to read with the class?
Emmie gave her Dad a copy of “Danny Champion of the World” for his birthday, because it was so good she wanted to read it with him!!
A Fondness For Reading 
What a wonderful note, Robin! What a compliment to you and one of your best teaching methods! I love the fact that you have saved those items. And I totally agree that reading to kids is such a good tool. I read to my daughter for a long, long time.
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Thank you, Kay. There is something magical about reading with children.
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I love this! What a gift of kindness from that parent and what a gift you were to all those children you taught. Have you ever considered volunteering at a local elementary school?
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Thank you, Les. I do volunteer at one of our local schools for special events. I haven’t been back to the classroom, though, except to visit. There are so many new and wonderful opportunities that have opened up since retirement. I’m still exploring the world beyond the classroom. It is important for me, though, to remember and appreciate those special times and relationships from my teaching years.
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What a gift you received from Emmie’s mom. She expressed beautifully the joy your students had as they joined you in a story. I know many of them remember those times and still feel the warmth of a shared story and the conversations around it. I love that she wanted to share that feeling with her dad. I agree, chapter book time in a classroom is the very best part of the day.
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Thank you, Marlo. I, too, loved that she wanted to share that book and feeing with her Dad. It was such a special dad book!
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