[ZonieDiver]

Originally Posted by Richard

For those wondering why many people choose a career in education, I received this today from a former student with whom I spent a lot of time offering 'one-on-one' counseling, who was a hair's breadth away from not graduating with his class, who had to do a semester-length 0.5 credit redo in summer school following graduation before I would award him his diploma, and who I haven't heard from in over six years.

"Happy belated birthday sir. I hope you're doing great and I know in highschool you weren't my favorite person, but you taught me to be mature, responsible, and never settle for less. I hope you had a great birthday and maybe we can get together some time and catch up."

Made my day - and I now have one more thing to look forward to doing at some point in the near future.

And so it goes...

Richard

Things like that are what make it worthwhile. Not a lot of occupations have people make comments like that years later. I love being accosted at the grocery store, bank, ballpark by former students.

I found that it often wasn't the lesson that they remembered. It was some offhand remark, or the way you held them accountable, or called them on their behavior that they remembered. That is sad for me, for it seems that is the kind of thing the 'educational establishment' is trying to take out of the classrooom today.

Good on you, Richard!