It’s March 6th. I’ll never forget March 6th 1979. It was a Tuesday and I was practicing for the school spelling bee in Gail Wunderlich’s 5th grade classroom. I needed her for something and as many kids do I said “mom” by mistake. She looked up and said “what son?” From that day on she always called me son. The rest of my school career she would give me birthday cards and I would always give her a Mother’s Day card. When she signed my senior year book she called me one of the “lights” of her life. Every and I mean every first day of school I always went to her room to tell her “hey!” She developed a relationship with me that influenced me through out my school career. She made me actually feel “worth” something and gave value to my good behavior and desire to learn through her actions.
I never had a trip to the treasure box...never got a sticker ... never received any extrinsic kind of token for behavior. She gave me thumbs up, pats on the shoulder and “great jobs”. When I wasn’t in her room and older she always called me by name or “son” in the hallway. She always made sure I was well and gave me a place to go if I needed some “I’m OK” reassurance. She cared. I knew it. I wasn’t the only one. She did it for all her students. Through her love for us we developed a love for ourselves. And that is what educating a child to become an adult who can live and thrive in this world is all about. Loving them enough that they learn to love themselves. Doesn’t mean never disciplining. Doesn’t mean being “easy”. It means caring for and molding children to function in this world. She left this world way to early! I miss her. I think about her almost daily. You know....she got it! She absolutely got it! Education and teaching is so much more than books and tests. It’s relationships! One I’ll cherish and never forget! We need each other!! Have a good one!
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