Day 13 - The Visitor

I had a visitor today. A friend, a mentor, a woman I adore. She has all the pep and spark of a woman half her age with the wisdom and kindness of a grandmother.  I was excited to see her, to say the least. It's been a few years and talking online just isn't the same.

After a brief chat at lunch, she dropped into my classroom right at the beginning of my math block. My experiences with her mentoring has all been in the area of writing.  I know what she is looking for in a writing lesson, in a writer's workshop, in a coaching setting, and in all realms writing related. I didn't know what to expect in this new area except enthusiasm.

What I saw was my classroom through her eyes.

I saw a VERY young five year old who is learning to write his numbers absolutely light up when she said she was proud of his hard work.

I saw a young boy who has a hard time forming relationships want to show off for this woman I called my friend instead of laying on the floor and making baby noises as he did for the science teacher minutes later.

I saw a young girl lean over and coach a friend on how to make the number 5 after listening to the "grandma" show her how.

I saw my mentor smile as I talked with my students.

I saw her laugh at the silly things they said to me as we began to talk about math.

I saw her snap pictures of moments of my history that passed almost without my notice because she saw something in those moments that struck her.

I saw the delight on her face when she talked to my kiddos and the love of learning and teaching that she still holds so near and dear after so very many years in the world of education.

I saw a person who can lead and guide with more kindness and gentleness than I can wrap my head around some days.

I saw a person I want to be like when I grow up.

I saw just how lucky I am to have a person like this as a mentor, but more importantly, as a friend.