Heavy Heart today

It is with a heavy heart that I share this post today. I am sitting in my office at school watching the snow fall and trying not to cry when children are around. Eleanor, a co-worker, came to find me this morning. Our friend Gloria passed away at 8:05 AM. We are glad that she is at peace and no longer in any pain, but we will miss her dearly. Gloria was the type of teacher that truly cared for each and every one of her students, even the ones who were "pluck-plucks" A term used in our building for those students who can just pluck away at your nerves. She was kind natured and even spirited. There was never a morning were she didn't go out of her way to find me and say good morning. Gloria was the type of person who would always praise you for doing well. Every time we used to sit down to plan lessons together, she would compliment me on how I deal with the students. How I never give up on a student and constantly prompt them till they eventually get the right answer. She would always tell me how she can see certain students sit a little straighter, or participate a little more in my class when this strategy was used with the more timid and shy students. Gloria used to tell me that ever since she saw me use "wait time" in this manner that she started to use it in her classroom.

I remember one particular morning when we were talking about a project that we had just completed, she turned to me and said that she was very glad to have worked with me and that she has really been impressed with how I have developed as a teacher and as a media specialist. Gloria commented on how kid friendly and inviting the media center has become and how her students just love coming down here. She loved all the different reading programs I had done and all the special reading events I brought to our school. To a teacher who was only in her 5th years of teacher, do receive such praise and compliments from a seasoned veteran teacher such as herself, just made me teary. She was the first teacher who truly went out of her way to make sure I knew what a good job I was doing and just how much she had appreciated everything I had done and accomplished here. She will be missed greatly.