Saturday, August 21, 2010

You Know You're Really Old...

As a teacher of 30 years, I have touched a lot of lives. As of late, it seems that some of the "kids" are coming back into my life in unusual ways.
Last year, I agreed to tutor a little girl. I had been recommended to the mother and she called me. We agreed on a time. I answered the door and there stood one of my fourth grade students from about 1983, all grown up with 3 daughters of her own. She wasn't sure it was me, although she knew the name was the same. It was amazing. I now tutor 2 of her children.
Facebook is a great way to stay in contact with former students. Usually I lose track of them for about 20 or more years and then all of a sudden reconnect. I just reconnected with the 3 year old flower girl at my wedding not too long ago. She is all grown up. My sister's flower girl is now married with kids going off to college.
One of my ex-students, who is a writer, is now married and has a boy. I first met her in second grade.
I ran into two of my students who waited on my table at restaurants. We recognized each other right away. But the biggest evidence of the passing of time is the 30 year old ex-student who sat with me today to help me with my will and trust. No longer do we talk about fourth grade math and reading. He explains things to me that in a million years, I could not thoroughly understand. But its okay. By the time I need it, it will be someone else's problem to figure out!

2 comments:

Barbara said...

How fun to meet up with your students 30 years later! Course, I'm sure it reminds you of how old you're getting, but so many things in life do that, what's one more?!?

jkraus8464 said...

It is funny that they are coming back in ways to help out my life now. Kind of cool. You never know how you influence the life of a child as a teacher.