Wonderful Memories of Teaching

I just finished writing to my friend Anna in Alberta , and she teaches urban Aborignal kids, whom she said do not have connections with their reservations nor their cultures. It so reminded me of my teaching experiences...Over the years, I mostly taught urban children with very difficult backgrounds. I have to say , in all modesty, that I was a very good teacher. My last teaching postiion was at Del Valle High School in Austin, Tx, but I had varied teaching experiences, and I even taught Native Americans on a reservation in the state of Arizona. I have been very fortunate to have wonderful teaching memories. I worked in St. Gabriel's Hall in Audubon, PA with children who were adjudicated ungovernable, and also at Morgan Village Middle School in Camden, NJ in a very difficult urban area, which was predominantly black. I guess in looking back on the places that I taught, I always worked with very difficult students, but really loved it. I remember many students, but one student always comes to mind when I think back on my teaching experiences....and that student was Johnny Johnson. I think it appropriate that I concentrate and write about him, as he did that for me once. Anyway, I remember the day that I met Johnny. I was teaching 10th graders English . and as soon as he walked in, I knew he was going to be a real problem. He made that abundantly clear to me. His goal that year was to give me as many problems as he could. I must have talked to his parents a dozen times, and all that it accomplished was to tell me that he gave them problems too, and that was no consolation to me. I was so happy when the end of the year came, because he was quite a handful. Well, the following school year, I was given the 11th graders to teach. I got Johhny Johnson again. When I saw him walk in and realized that he was assigned to me again, i couldn't believe it. Well, needless to say, the year was similar to the previous one. I always had successful teaching years, but I guess that I just felt that I had somehow failed with Johnny, as I couldn't get through to him at all. I consoled myself with the fact that I had an impact on many students, but I knew in my mind that I was disappointed that I couldn't get through to Johnny. Then the following year, I was given the seniors. It won't be a great surprise to you to read that I got Johnny Johnson again...three years in a row. This time, before he entered my classroom, he knocked at my classroom door, and asked to speak to me. He said that I had had a big influence on him, and that he wasn't going to give me an ounce of trouble. I was shocked! He landed up being one of my best students. That year he graduated with honours, and he went to college on an athletic scholarship. When he was at college, he wrote about me and my positive influence on his life. I was nominated twice in consecutive years by Johnny to be in Who's Who in Teaching in America, which is an honour that is only given to 5 percent of the teachers in America. It was one of the best things that ever happened to me. I thought about it tonight, as I read Anna's email to me. I think that she is a wonderful teacher too...I can tell by her emails that she is gathering wonderful memories, as I have accumulated over the years, and the memories are so priceless. I do enjoy thinking of my times as a teacher, and thank Anna for rekindling the memories.