Last Week was Teacher Appreciation Week

While I am still a devoted educator, I no longer serve students as a teacher.  This year has been a really tough transition for me.  I love working with young people.  As expected, I was able to share appreciation of teachers with whom I work, but I do not get any of that teacher love myself, not anymore.  

I ended my week and headed out for an IPA with my buddy, Dwight, and read the cards his students made for him.  They were funny and touching.  The clear message from those cards was that Dwight is appreciated and loved by his students.  Such a great thing to see, but so bittersweet.  I don't get cards and thank you letters.  Don't get me wrong, the work I do is very rewarding, but I miss the love of my students.

I called my former student MH at the end of Friday to confirm our Saturday plans for us to visit a college campus downtown.  We chatted for a few minutes, then he asked me to hold on a second, and he passed his phone to someone.  "Uh, hello?  Who's this?"

"Hey, Mr. Glover.  It's [JD].  How you doing"
"Holy crap, it's great to hear your voice [JD]!  What's up?"
"Listen, Glover, I was hoping to come hang out with you and [MH]."
"You want to visit the college? I already have [MH] and [BN] going with, it's gonna get crowded..."
"No, G, I mean I want to hang out with you when you and [MH] go to make stuff.  I want to  learn how to make circuits and stuff."
"Of course you can come!  I'd love to work with you, too."  And the smile begins to broaden on my face.
"OK, G, it was good to talk to you.  Hold on a sec..."
"Yo, Glover, what's good?"
"Uh, who's this?"
"It's [RG], dude.  Can I come, too?"
"You want to learn to build electrical circuits and use Arduino?"
"Yeah.  I always wanted to learn about that stuff.  Can I please go with you?"
"Of course.  I'm happy to have you all.  Can you pass me back to [MH].  Hey, [MH], dude, we have a LOT of planning to do with our group growing like this!  I'm really excited, though, and I'm glad you told them."

I have four young men from East Harlem asking to give up their free time to spend it learning something new, with me, just for the sake of learning and hanging out.  What better way of being appreciated?  That's more than enough of the love I was missing.

​Now I just have to find a place where we can work.  Open to ideas for multi-purpose rooms and learning spaces - any space where we can brainstorm, research, and build together. 

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