Value the Moments

Recently, my 58 year old neighbor passed away. He was a great guy who could decorate for the holiday's like no other. Halloween was always great. He turned his front yard into a graveyard and would even become part of the scene to scare some and excite others. His passion for Halloween and his family will stick with me forever. At the same time, he was someone who would take time to teach. I asked about his graveyard and he showed me how he used installation and spray paint to make his unique tombstones. He was a great parent. He would do anything for his children and even volunteered at the fire station to spend time with his son. Tony, you will be missed by everyone who knew you.

At his wake, a former student approached me to see how I was doing.  He is currently in his second year of college. We had a conversation about his middle school years. It was a humbling experience as he told my wife I was his favorite teacher. He talked about specific lessons, our field trips and how he was lucky to have such a great experience.  I left the conversation reflecting on his words. Was it the lessons? The trips? The conversations? What made him feel he had such an amazing experience? It's all of the above. As teachers it's so important for us to bring passion to the classroom. As @burgessdave says "Provide students with an uncommon experience and they will surprise you with uncommon effort." This is only part it. It's also about relationships. We have to take time to get to know our students. We can't expect our students to give 100% for people they don't think care about them. Teaching is a profession where we don't always get to see or hear the impact we have. Don't take for granted, especially all those special moments in the classroom and at home. You never know when they could end.