Extended Family

One of my past (read "grown-up") students couldn't come to the pond this weekend to visit. She has her graduate school thesis to revise. (Finish that thesis, honey! Finish). Another student reached out, needing some family time this weekend to celebrate his good news. He's landed a great job out of town. How honored I feel he wants to carve time out with me before he leaves. I'm hurrying to cobble together the ingredients to prepare his favorite dinner. I know what he likes to eat because he spent every Sunday night eating dinner with us for two years after which, he tutored my son in Math. He also served as our faithful dog sitter for the past several years. Other students were my son's babysitters.

How grateful I am to have an extended family that consists of past students. How amazed I am they still want to spend time with old Ms. Beck. I only have one teacher in my life that I still connect with. And that's not a high school teacher... that's the teacher with whom I studied just last year.

These relationships have enriched not only my own life, but my son's. I'm so proud he sees his mother in another role, "teacher". See, mean Mom is also a person with a career she did so well, students still flock to our home. Race to say hello at the grocery. Come to the pond for a lazy summer day floating and picnicking after completing yet another tour in Afghanistan. Ask to come over to rehearse a poetry recital for a contest in college.

Actually, when my son was really little, he thought I was famous because we'd see students at restaurants, grocery stores, even the carpet store. Ha. I let him have his illusion as long as it lasted. In reality, my high school students were working these part-time jobs which is the only reason we'd see them out in the community so much.

I do think it's because I treated my classroom as an extension of my home that my students feel comfortable still reaching out. And it is my delight to welcome them with open arms.