As an elementary school teacher during parts of six decades (seven if you count my time as a part-timer at Arrowhead) I learned that another grown-up in the room was, usually, an opportunity to multiply the learning. This assumes the second grown-up is, well, grown up. That is they take responsibility for being involved constructively in what's going on in the classroom.
I loved having student teachers. Most were outstanding. Don Rusk was hired at our school the very next year. Ralph Noble went on to a storied career in Dalton and was elected president of the Georgia Association of Educators among other honors. Natalie Williams, Autumn Baker, Lori Ann Kellett have continued making contributions to education. Last I heard Brittany Smith was using her considerable teaching skills as a mama, I think. I still get to hang out with an outstanding young teacher, Vivian Davis, who is now my "boss" as director Arrowhead Environmental Education Center. And I got to spend a couple of years also working with Sarah Baker Echols at Arrowhead.
All that to say that those kids I shared with student teachers definitely profited from that second pair of eyes, second store of creativity, doubling of individual attention, and extra incentive for their teacher to set a good example.
I also loved to have parent (and grandparent and even great-grandparent and God-parent) volunteers and had some great ones over the years -- Jan Osborn, Ronnie Baldwin, Sylvia Graves, Carla Patterson, Cindy Daitz, Adam Hammond, Mrs. Newberry (can't think of her first name), Mandy Loorham, Deonna Hackett's great-granddaddy (What was his name!) and many others. (I should never start a list like that... I leave out folks I should NOT leave out including some whose faces are in my mind's eye right now but whose names are escaping me... I'll edit later!)
My first year at Armuchee Elementary - or was it the second? - I had precocious little Rose Davis in my room. Rose was an absolute joy, but she was an even greater blessing because when Rose was assigned to one's classroom it meant you got Juanita too!
Juanita Davis was perhaps the most dedicated, selfless, dependable, calm, loving and quiet classroom assistant I ever had. She would find whatever needed doing and do it. She organized papers. She photocopied truckloads of papers. She brought goodies and helped with Christmas and Valentine crafts and parties. More importantly, probably, was her calming, loving influence on every child in the class as she read with them or just participated with all of us in our classroom activities.
She even volunteered off and on in my classroom in succeeding years.
A decade later when another grandchild, Grady this time, was assigned to my class I got to enjoy Juanita's company and assistance more often again.
We lost Juanita in 2015.
This beautiful crocheted cover and glass ball was a Christmas gift from Grady, created by his grandmother Juanita Davis. It is wonderful to relive, as we hang this ornament each year, the joy of seeing that grandmother's devotion to her beloved grandchildren and their friends... and their teacher.
---
Here is a picture I copied from Rose's Facebook page. It dates from a time fairly close to the year Rose was in my class.
No comments:
Post a Comment