Megan emailed me yesterday about writing Alex a thank-you letter for coming to speak to our class. I said I thought it was a great idea, and that I'd open it up to the rest of you as well. So, if you'd like to send Alex a card/note/letter thanking him for his visit, please bring it to class this week and I'll make sure he gets them all.Also, here are a couple photos from 1990-1991 -- one of Alex, and one of him and some of his classmates (and me -- the tall one with the Jerry Seinfeld hairdo) in our tiny coat-closet-converted-into-a-classroom.
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First I must say that picture automatically puts a smile on my face (and please note that I am not laughing at you Michie, I am laughing with you...Alex looks the same however you have changed significantly...lol) I am so glad that you invited Alex in to speak; I honestly thought that he was going to come in and tell us a story of how he started off as a troubled youth but with the help of the great teacher Michie, he was able to turn his life around. I figured he would conclude with some grand success story about how he now owns a business and makes lots of money or works as a youth counselor for troubled teens which is his way of giving back to the community. However, this was not Alex’s story at all. He had many struggles and even though he had a very inspiring teacher in his life he was not able to change until he found it within himself to do so. Alex’s story helped me realize I am never going to be any student’s ‘hero' (that is a title I am not even worthy to accept). Instead I am merely a catalyst used to help students become their own inspiration. Regardless of how much effort, time, and energy I invest in a student the affect I have is ultimately up to them. I can only make as much of an impact as the student will allow. In knowing this, my goal as a teacher will be to simply plant seeds and give my students the tools they need to allow them to grow. When Alex told of how he was older and would still have minor mishaps with the law, I thought “Well okay…so what exactly did Mr. Michie do?” And as the story continued, I realized that what Mr. Michie did what never give up on his students. Sometimes lending a supportive hand is better than a reprimanding hand. So as I continue in my journey to become an educator I will seek to plant seeds within my students and have the faith that their plentiful harvest will come in due season.
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