Mentors, Masters and Mrs. MacGregor
© Irene Taylor
Rereading that note today brought a tear to my eye - 6 years later her message touched me as much as it did on that day back in 1998. Being appreciated for the hard work of teaching is a gift - to be enjoyed and cherished, and I will always cherish her fond words.
Her gift is especially appropriate - a book of "Stories of Teachers Making a Difference". This book contains real stories of real teachers, submitted for the project by over 1,000 friends and associates of complier Jane Bluestein. Her request was simple - she asked them all to tell her about a favorite teacher, one who had the greatest and most positive impact on their lives.
Included are 174 stories, from notable people such as Jimmy Carter, Desmond Tutu and Joe Paterno, to stories from teachers, homemakers and just "regular" folks. I especially liked the vignettes from students which are sprinkled throughout the book. Here are just a few that touched me:
A Really Great Teacher is Someone Who
...gives challenging, fun work. (Alison, 11, Houston, Texas)
...won't criticize children's ideas. (Lauren, 11, Houston, Texas
...takes time for each student. (Tiffini, 16, Medora, Indiana
...loves her students. (Nicole, 11, Farmington, New Mexico)
Jane Bluestein includes a lovely tribute to several of her favorite teachers as well, along with this fitting explanation of her reasons for starting this project:
"If I had any doubts before I started this book, I am now completely convinced that we do indeed touch one another's lives. We are products of a lifetime of experiences, events, interactions, a word or a look - any of which can have a profound effect on who we become in life. How we act with one another matters because people notice and they remember and they sometimes carry these memories throughout their lives. I'm also reassured that no matter how many negative forces are at work in a person's life, it sometimes takes no more that one person, one act of love or acceptance or encouragement to make a difference. More often than not, that person will never see, know or receive evidence of the impact he or she has had on us - unless we stop and say 'Thanks for making a difference in my life!'"
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