Confirmation

It’s not often that teachers get to reconnect with former students, but when we do, emotions can range from trepidation and fear over what a student has become to just plain relief that the kid is still alive. Somewhere between fear and relief is the satisfaction that comes with confirmation. The kind of confirmation to which I refer is not the confirmation that sweet little Jimmy is now a convicted felon, but rather, the confirmation I am talking about is the confirmation that proves a kid is still firmly planted along the path upon which I had sent him.

I got to experience that kind of confirmation today. A former student was passing through town on his way from his current home in Texas to visit family in San Diego. The timing worked out perfectly to rendezvous with him for lunch.

Despite what your third grade teacher may have told you, teachers do have favorites. Favorites don’t necessarily conform to a mold. They come in all shapes and sizes and from a variety of backgrounds. A frequent common denominator, however, is that the the kid’s parents are actively involved in his or her education. Justin’s family is that type of family. Perhaps that is why the kid is such a joy to be around. Now I am sure that his mother would disagree with the idea that he is always a joy, but you get the point.

For some reason, Justin and I clicked the year he was in my fourth grade class. Yes, his mom had a lot to do with it, but so did the fact that he “got” me and I “got” him. We were on the same wave length. I have never been accused of being overly serious or philosophical, and neither has Justin. Humor and good-natured sarcasm were the hallmark of our year. Unfortunately, I only got to teach Justin for one year. At the close of that school year I moved up to fifth grade and took many of my fourth grade students with me. Justin’s family, however, had other plans and Texas was calling.

Now, three years later, through the wonders of the internet and a few visits back to Southern California, I have kept in touch with Justin and his family. Maintaining a relationship with a former student doesn’t really make me a great teacher. What it does do, however, is keep me in line for a payoff in the future. You see, Justin is going to be an NFL quarterback someday, and I need to make sure he knows where to find me in case I need help funding my retirement. And the fact that he has an incredibly cute younger sister that is my son’s age doesn’t hurt either.