Post #13 in the Blog Every Day in May Challenge, 250 words or less. Prompt for May 13: Issue a public apology.
So many situations to choose from!
I apologize to my brothers—for beating up on one and spoiling the other.
I apologize to the fifth graders I taught at Glencliff Elementary School, my first teaching job. I was not kind or compassionate. I followed the model of how I’d been taught—with an emphasis on facts and paddling. It was the norm at that time, but I could have been different. Wish I could group all those 57-year-olds together and tell them how sorry I am that I did such a lousy job. I’d ask their forgiveness for errors I don’t even remember now. I just feel a great cloud of regret that I didn’t inspire them, for I’m sure I didn’t.
Here I must throw in a thanks to my dear friend, Enid Henninger Woolsey, from whom I learned that teaching could be fun and that teachers and students could inspire each other. Wish I’d had her teaching with me that first year!
Janice Heck
Sounds like an interesting story with your brothers. I think we all just spoiled all three of my brothers.
And isn’t it nice to have a teacher friend who inspires you. I am sure you inspired others, too.
Lanita Boyd
Yes, eventually I tried to follow Enid’s example and young teachers were very responsive.