Friday, July 16, 2010

On Everything (We Need to Know We) We Learned in Kindergarten


Including Saying Thanks.

In November 2007, a grade school friend (and City employee) forwarded me an invitation to 'Thank a Teacher' in three hundred words or less, which would then be posted on the NYC Board of Education website for all the world to see, and hopefully the teachers who were thanked. I immediately thought of Mr. Franzese, my high school history teacher, who spent tireless afternoons (after school let out) tutoring me for an exam I was sure I would fail. He's the kind of teacher for whom these facebook fan clubs are created, with passion for his job and devotion to his students you can only hope to glimpse in your own career. After my posting was submitted, I tracked down his email address on the internet (which isn't as easy as it sounds) and a few weeks later, when I finally found him, I forwarded him my Thanks. It turns out that, over the weeks that had passed, he had been approached several times (in the hallways of my high school, where he had graduated to Assistant Principal) with news of my adulation. His response was filled with the gratitude unique to a teacher and student, with details of that memorable year (eighteen years ago) and invitation to stop by if I'm ever in the neighborhood. Once a teacher, always a teacher - Thanks again, Mr. F! (Enjoy.)

1 comment:

  1. that's awesome carly! my weird ap bio teacher tells me he still has my "thanks for believing in me" (hail mary before my final exam) letter i sent him!

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