A memory that I will never forget occurred  when I was teaching in a North Carolina elementary school.  My class was made up of very poor children who came from a high percentage of illiterate homes, children from families who had been transferred to our town from other states and were usually from higher economic households and some children from families somewhere in the middle.  A girl from the lower economic side of the class was struggling with reading.  One day she wanted to stay in from recess.  When I asked her why, she said to me, "Please help me learn to read."  How could I make her go out and play after that?  I worked with her during her recess times for several weeks.  Before the year was over, she moved.  I never knew if she learned to read as well as she wanted to or not.  I hope she did.


One of my favorite books is Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell.  The main character is a child who is short, has bucked teeth, couldn't sing and was clumsy.  Her grandmother's encouragement to embrace her differences and be herself, helped Molly Lou to adjust to a new school and win over the school's bully.  I love that it teaches that our differences are what makes each of  us special!  


Quote-This quote is on a poster in my classroom:  The object of teaching a child is to enable the child to get along without the teacher.