Having envisioned working my way through the nine schools in which I have worked, I find myself, instead, recalling opening days and weeks at a couple of other schools. The start of any school tenure usually portends the experiences to come.
We moved from Tucson to Denver in 1975, then to Bethesda, MD, in 1979. Having taught junior kindergarten and kindergarten for four years, I was looking for a slightly older class. I loved my years with the young ones and learned incredible lessons that have served me ever since, however, I do not have the endless patience and talents that are the hallmarks of early childhood teachers. Those who claim that one is not “intellectual” unless one teaches high school or college could not be more wrong. It takes a particular brilliance to match the quick wits and pace of learning evidenced by small fry. Just because they cannot read yet does not mean that they are not wise. Brains develop at an astonishing rate during the early years. It takes real gifts to match those of PreK and K kiddos. And patience, of which I had a limited amount.
I figured that finding a position somewhere in 1st-3rd would be ideal. I wasn’t interested in returning to high school, and middle school definitely was not appealing. Like many, my experience with middle school students was limited, and the reasons not to work with that age abounded. Or so I thought. Life in schools is full of surprises, and I found myself in a drop in interview with Tom Hudnut at Norwood School in Bethesda, Maryland. As we chatted about this and that, Tom surprised me by offering me a position as a 5th grade teacher. In a strange turn of events, I found myself telling him I was not the person for the job, and Tom kept insisting that I was. I have no idea what he saw in me, but his insight was spot on.
Having accepted the position, I figured that it would take time for me to adjust to working with early adolescents (“transescents,” a term I love and rarely see). Instead, I was hooked on day one, when young Bobby Weiman walked up to me, looked me in the eye, extended a firm handshake and warm smile, and welcomed me to 5th grade. Teachers learn from all of their classes and students, some more than others. The huge blessing of our move from Denver to Bethesda was that particular class, with whom I spent two years, when I moved up to 6th grade with them. They were — and remain — a dream class. More about them later. Bob is now Head of Lower School at St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes.
Glass Full 