I consider myself blessed and extremely lucky to have been given the opportunity to teach in an educational environment that is truly special ... always having held the parents who serve in our military forces as well as their spouses and children in the highest regards for their countless hours of dedication and service, my appreciation has grown exponentially since the events of September 11, 2001. I pride myself in establishing open lines of communication with the parents and guardians of our students, always offering each a guaranteed reassurance that their child will receive the best possible educational experience that I can deliver.
However, America's tragic events and our current wartime status has required the staff at the Dover Air Force Base Middle School to assume many roles that we had not really considered some time ago. I thank the many individuals associated with my experiences within the Master of Instruction program for granting me the opportunity of discovering myself, as an educator, and becoming fluent in my quest for improving my instructional strategies. It is this new-found revelation of my efforts becoming like second nature that has afforded me the pleasure of spending some extra time with our youth, not only as their teacher, but also as their mentor.
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I had the distinct pleasure of teaching two of the four Beck children in both the Visual Art and Technology Student Advisory classes as well as serving as their cheerleading coach during their middle school career. My relationship with this family who prides themselves in being active and involved in their children's education will always be one that I cherish as an educator as well as an individual. It is not often that someone touches your life in such a way that makes you feel, genuinely appreciated, but this family did! Our school was better place from their contributions ... and they are sadly missed. A mouse-over command will open the card revealing the mother's message. |
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A mother's love traverses and overcomes all ... I shall never forget the support of this special lady, nor will her son. Running into obstacles are what middle school students do best, and for adults who have previously experienced it all, the task of lifting up and dusting off can grow old after the first dozen or so times. However, this mother was relentless in her pursuit of making her son's educational experience something special, and something HE wanted to do. Always speaking kind words of support for the faculty even during the most trying of times, this mother thanked me for 'believing' in her son ... which quite frankly, was very easy to do! |
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This recent letter, dated June 6, 2001, will be one that I hold near and dear in my passion for teaching. It comes from a Major in the United States Air Force who remains active in his two sons' adolescent lives. Extremely supportive and respectful of the faculty and staff at Dover Air, the Thurgood family remains a class act. With one child nearing completion of his middle school stay as an active participant in my Amusement Park Physics module, this busy father found the time to support my desire of promoting this interdisciplinary unit integrating science, math, and technology by volunteering to chaperone our HersheyPark field trip. During the bus ride, he expressed he and his wife's thanks for my dedication and involvement in their son's educational experience ... I graciously asked if he would be willing to place his thoughts in writing for inclusion in my yearly portfolio. However, upon receiving this letter from my administrator, I was overwhelmed with amount of respect and regard with which this individual had for something that I truly enjoyed doing -- it is sometimes nice to know what a parent really thinks about the job you do. Click on the 'thumbnail' version to read the letter. |
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