Thanks, From Grade School Me

by Amy Sullivan on September 29, 2011

Through my grade school years, teachers taught me much more than Michigan history and multiplication facts. They instructed me in life lessons. Today I recognize the good many poured into me by scratching out this short letter of thanks.

Dear Teachers,

Thanks for noticing my M & M necklace. I know it’s a fake piece of candy on a gold- plated necklace, but it’s special.  Sincere compliments make a big impact.

Thanks for coming up with that bead system, the one that rewards me for reading words correctly. Sparkly things can be earned, but it takes hard work and practice.

Thanks for calling my parents and telling them about that whole kissing on the bus incident. Ahem, enough said.

Thanks for understanding that kids can’t live on worksheets alone. The world spins on whether we notice or not, but you forced me to quit scribbling on paper and notice.

Thanks for acknowledging community impacts our everyday. Include everyone, even the stinky and unlikeable.

Thanks for thinking my lopsided flower worthy of the art show. Even if you don’t win, being chosen to compete is a big deal.

Thanks for celebrating lost teeth. Stages pass quickly, and we need to celebrate each one.

**************

What about you, friends? What grade school, life lessons do you remember?

*Any idea which faded out kindergartener is me?

- Amy teaches Special Education and blogs at Amy Sullivan.

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Tagged as: elementary, funny, good teachers, inspirational

  • http://www.lauraleighparker.com Laura Parker

    Loved this post, Amy! I laughed at the ways you painted yourself– the MandM necklace– how cute is that?!

    For me, one of the things I learned was to do work hard and learn the systems. I had a teacher in highschool that drilled writing rules and grammar rules into my brain. I hated it as a senior, but I still have her rules ringing in my head anytime I write. It was really a gift for grammar and the written word she was giving me.

    • http://www.lauraleighparker.com Laura Parker

      Oh, and, bottom row, second from the left?

  • http://amylsullivan.blogspot.com/ Amy Sullivan

    Laura,
    Great example. Grammar can be so boring, but because writing is important to you, you will use her gift forever.

    Bottom row, second from left? Nope, but that little girl was my best friend and across the street neighbor, Kristin.

  • http://kendalprivette.blogpsot.com kendal

    great piece – needed the reminder of the right stuff this morning as i head out to the classroom.

    first kid on next to last row?

  • http://amylsullivan.blogspot.com/ Amy Sullivan

    Kendal,
    I always need reminders. In all the busyness of the days, sometimes I get too focused on the book stuff and not the life stuff at school.

    Not the first kid in the next to last row down. Good guess, she has a big smile, and my real smile is usually pretty big, but not her!

  • http://brandeeshafer.blogspot.com Brandee Shafer

    Top left corner. I typed in my guess before traveling over and am feeling even more confident now that your other commenters have chosen wrongly.

    I guessed based on the nose, not the pouty expression.

    • http://amylsullivan.blogspot.com/ Amy Sullivan

      Brandee,
      Nope, nope!

  • http://sophyta.blogspot.com/ Sophyta

    Amy, I’ve posted my comment at your place…
    You’re the 4th girl in the 3rd row (from top)….

    • http://amylsullivan.blogspot.com/ Amy Sullivan

      Bam! You guessed it, girl.

      Glad you found yourself here, Sophyta…another teacher.

      • http://www.lauraleighparker.com Laura Parker

        Go Sophyta! Bravo, girl. If I had a lot of money, I would give you a prize, for sure.

        Amy, you were pretty darn cute as a kinder . . .

        • http://sophyta.blogspot.com/ Sophyta

          Amy, I’m ecstatic!

          Laura, thanks! I don’t need a prize…I’d prefer a friend to a prize!

  • http://thejohnsonglasshouse.blogspot.com Gaby

    I am positive you are the second from the left on the bottom row. The same cheekbones!

    Loved this. I am teaching my kindergartner at home so thank you for the reminder of the things that will matter when she forgets what a polygon is (as I did when I try to explain it to her and had to look it up on Google. Please don’t tell the school board this is the kind of teacher she has!)

    • http://www.lauraleighparker.com Laura Parker

      Gaby, what, exactly IS a polygon? haha.

      I agree, this post was a great reminder of teaching what MATTERS.

    • http://amylsullivan.blogspot.com/ Amy Sullivan

      Gabby,
      Wrong! Not me, but a best friend from long, long ago.

      Ok, really, I want to know when the word “polygon” has come up in my adult life…oh, besides when I am playing Taboo (love that game!).

      Glad you found yourself here, Gaby. Homeschooling mamas are always welcome.

  • http://manninginthemiddle.blogspot.com Deidra Manning

    Thanks for sharing – so cute! Life lesson I learned: quiet kids pretend like they don’t want attention, but they really do. Reach out, get to know them – they’re some of the coolest kids around.

    • http://www.lauraleighparker.com Laura Parker

      Deidra, I LOVE this truth . . . and I agree that the quiet ones offer such treasures if we stop to notice.

    • http://amylsullivan.blogspot.com/ Amy Sullivan

      Deidra,

      Oh yeah, those quiet kids always turn into the cool kids. Example: http://www.immersionblogapy.blogspot.com/

      She was a long ago quiet kid and a current cool kid.

  • http://theslamdunktrove.blogspot.com slamdunk

    Excellent post topic Amy.

    I learned that wrestling during story time is frowned upon. An important life lesson indeed.

    • http://www.lauraleighparker.com Laura Parker

      Awesome! Still definitely true.

    • http://amylsullivan.blogspot.com/ Amy Sullivan

      Slamdunk,
      Ok, now I want to hear more about that one…

  • http://www.mothersonmission.org Heidi

    Hi Amy, I’m sticking with my thought that you are on the top row, 4th girl to the right?! This is such a cute post, I remember being the teachers pet in the 2nd grade and as a quiet and insecure little thing that made my world! I also remember in that same 2nd grade that you should never copy your best friend pointing the middle finger at a boy… especially when you don’t know what it means! Great post :)

    • http://www.lauraleighparker.com Laura Parker

      Ha ha . . . that middle finger can get you in trouble, for sure. Actually, maybe it’s really the boys who do that more often than not. ha ha.

  • http://amylsullivan.blogspot.com/ Amy Sullivan

    Erin,
    Ok, I agree, that little girl in the top row, 4th to right looks like me now…probably more than kindergartener me looks like the me from now, but alas, you are wrong!

    I love the middle finger lesson, one you have never forgotten.

    A lesson I didn’t include on the list was very similar to your middle finger story. In second grade, my friend told me if you kissed a boy you got pregnant. Well, then Tommy Tryban kissed me, and well…you see where this is going.

  • http://amylsullivan.blogspot.com/ Amy Sullivan

    Whoops, totally meant Heidi on that last comment.

  • http://amylsullivan.blogspot.com/ Amy Sullivan

    Oh, and a big PS to this post: The boy on the receiving end of my kiss on the bus also happens to be pictured above. Top row, 7th kid over.

  • http://www.mothersonmission.org Heidi

    Oh, you’re cracking me up today Amy!

    • http://www.lauraleighparker.com Laura Parker

      I agree!

  • http://immersionblogapy.blogspot.com lori

    Oh, I love that you pointed out your partner in crime. Wouldn’t it be fun if he found this post? And, you really think I’m cool (blushing)? lol I’ll still never forget you walking into Mrs. Draznick’s Social Studies class. I thought you were cool personified – 1st truly cool girl I’d ever met. And, I was definitely right.

    • http://www.lauraleighparker.com Laura Parker

      Lori, now I’m jealous because I’ve never gotten to meet cool Amy.

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  • http://www.OutnumberedMom.com Laura

    I still want to meet cool Amy — in the skin, not just in cyberspace.

    Love these lessons, Amy. True and simple.

    • http://findingheaventoday.blogspot.com Jen Ferguson

      She’s super cool in the skin!

      • http://amylsullivan.blogspot.com/ Amy Sullivan

        Awww, love you too JF, which by the way is my first cyber friend turned real.

  • http://www.thehouseofbelonging.com Tiffini

    Oh yes..6th grade. Mr Potter. A different sort but he was one of my favorite teachers. He turned the lights off and would read a book to us. I loved that time of day. He loved to teach and it came through to his students. to me.
    xo

    • http://amylsullivan.blogspot.com/ Amy Sullivan

      T,
      Thanks for coming over and reading. I had a few good male teachers too. In fact, in grades 3-6, I had all male teachers. That was unusual back then.

  • http://findingheaventoday.blogspot.com Jen Ferguson

    Ohh! I was right! 3rd row, 4th in. No, I didn’t look at the comments first. I did it all by myself! It’s the head cock, you know.

    I love these lessons and my prayer is that my children would have teachers that would impart the same…

  • http://amylsullivan.blogspot.com/ Amy Sullivan

    The head cock, a total give away.

  • http://mercynotes.com Julie

    This made me smile tonight. I just started following you guys on twitter tonight; it’s a fun site..as an past (and still current in some forms) educator..and always having that old student in me I think, Amy, that was right on the money. I think one life lesson was always give people the time of day. I think it’s hard sometimes because all kids are going through awkward moments but even to give people the time of day you wouldn’t normally hang around because they remember who did and who didn’t and it’s nice to have friends. As lame as it sounds, everyone needs a friend.

    • http://amylsullivan.blogspot.com/ Amy Sullivan

      Julie,
      Good to have you here, and you know what? Your statement doesn’t sound lame at all. Whether we are 5, 15, 25, or 55, we all need friends. Learning how to be inclusive is a must.

  • http://amandatdodson.wordpress.com amanda d

    I don’t know what’s better Amy, the post or all the comments! It’s like a fun teacher’s lounge in here. ;)

    • http://www.lauraleighparker.com Laura Parker

      Amanda– I love that, too– a FUN TEACHERs LOUNGE . . . w/o the complaining! Maybe that should have been the name of the site itself!! Glad you are here!

  • http://amylsullivan.blogspot.com/ Amy Sullivan

    Amanda D.,
    So good to see you here! A cyber teacher’s lounge (but without the complaining!), that’s funny.

  • http://www.sunshinelime.wordpress.com Renee

    oh amy. you always do it. put these awesome, powerful truths in such tangible, bite-size pieces. have you ever thought of writing for fortune cookies??? :) my favorite…..include everyone- even the stinky and unlikeable. sounds a little funny, but so true. can still remember the “smelly” girl being picked on in 5th grade and threatening to beat up the idiots who called her names.

    love your new writing gig! and of course love you!

    • http://www.lauraleighparker.com Laura Parker

      Renee, I think that was my favorite truth, too. That and the one about the importance of being chosen to compete being just as important as the winning itself.

  • http://beckfarfromhome.blogspot.com/ Beck Gambill

    My mom was my teacher and I’m so thankful for her generosity. My 7 year old is in school though and I love when a teacher works to impact his life. I know he’s watching and waiting to be noticed and cared for. Teachers are important and I’m thankful for their investment!

  • http://onlyhere-onlynow.blogspot.com HopeUnbroken

    i learned to be the teacher’s pet, stay away from the boys!!! . . . and that there are actually teachers out there mean enough to put you in the hospital from the stress of it all. how’s that for a wide range of experiences.
    steph

  • http://amylsullivan.blogspot.com/ Amy Sullivan

    Beck,
    Thanks for stopping by!

    I love it when adults outside of my family impact my kids too. Many of the lessons I strive to teach are easily taught by others.

  • http://asimpletwistoffaith.typepad.com/a-simple-twist-of-faith/ Mary @ A Simple Twist of Faith

    Kissing on the bus? The second week of school I received a phone call from my first grader’s teacher. She got a “number” for kissing a little boy in the classroom.

    • http://www.lauraleighparker.com Laura Parker

      Mary,

      Well, at least she’s friendly. :) Thankfully, first graders can’t do too much damage in that department!

      Thanks, Mary, for stopping by!

    • http://amylsullivan.blogspot.com/ Amy Sullivan

      Eeeeek! The dreaded call! Glad to have you here, Mary.

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