Choices

My mother used to brag about her proudest moment as a teacher. With great relish she used to describe the immense satisfaction and joy she got on the day that she strapped Peter Churchill until he cried. That speaks volumes about her legacy.

Today, in my Canadian History class, we were talking about the Holocaust. The students were having a hard time understanding the pervasive antisemitism that filled every corner of the Western World in the 1930s. They could not comprehend that the Jews had no place to turn for help against the Nazi regime, not even here in Canada. I illustrated that point by telling them stories about my mother, that even in my own life I had been exposed to this kind of hatred. They were dumbfounded when I told them how she used to curse out loud at the sight of Jewish kids playing in a lake at Camp Kedimah outside of my hometown of Bridgewater. How she used to, mistakenly,  rail about that "dirty Jew", Barry Rophie (he was actually Lebanese), and how she would never buy a thing from his store. I told them about her utter fear of Black people. How nothing I said would ever make her even consider that she might be wrong. These personal anecdotes finally gave them a glimmer of understanding as to how Hitler was able to use the hatred already extant to further his aims. This then led to the question, "Why aren't you like her?". Why, indeed?

Choices. I talked to them about choices. "You are given the ability the think, to question and to choose. Use it!", I told them. Her beliefs did not make sense to me; I asked too many hard questions where she asked none. I accepted nothing at face value where she blindly followed whatever the priest told her. She was a teacher, yet was one of the most ignorant and uneducated people I have ever known. I recounted my opening story to them. They were horrified that someone could consider beating a student to be her greatest accomplishment. Then, Darius put up his hand. " Miss, what is YOUR proudest moment as a teacher?"

So many images flashed through my mind: 1984 - an Aboriginal boy hugging me and telling me. "You did good here; you didn't do any harm!". 1986 / 87 - My Honours English kids having a ball acting out scenes from Shakespeare; hugs and tears when I left. 2006 "Miss, I want you to be at my Graduation." from an ANS student who had given me a very hard time at first. I went. 2007 Halifax West, Global History "Thank you so much, Miss! This has been the most interesting course I have ever taken!" from a young immigrant from Yugoslavia. Fasting for a day during Ramadan with my Muslim students. 2008 - PA - Paper Clips Holocaust project - seeing the students go beyond the statistics to visualize the number 6 million. Law 12 - how many students went on the careers in law or policing - too many to recall, but just recently Mark Russell came to see me - graduated with Criminology and Sociology - on his path to the RCMP. "I had no idea what I wanted to do, but taking your course sparked this in me." Sheree Thompson - Para Legal; Aussie - heading for RCMP...Pauline Badoux, an International Student from Belgium emailing her University Law paper to me to read (52 pages!) because she wanted me to be proud of her! On my best day I could not have written a paper like that!

My "Minions" My wonderful, crazy, History and Political junkies. Allyssa, Josh, Tor, Livy, Doyle, Grace, Darcy, Jack, Tristan, Gabby, Finny, Luke, Lachlan, Conlan, Reeves, Cassie, Paige! How they made going to school fun. If the truth be told. my heart retired when they graduated. To see them blossom into the fine young men and women they are today knowing that I played a part in their formative years has been one of my most rewarding memories. Watching their reactions as their history lessons came to life in Italy and Washington, and then seeing them carry this passion forward has given me such joy. Lachlan - what a fine photographer he has become! The second wave of Minions: Kenzie ( my manic political junkie), Aussie (God help us!), Alexandra, Holly, Max, Olivia (the steady but brilliant one!), Ethan, Brianne, Thomas, Emily, Foster, Conlan II, Danielle (my Guardian Angels in Peru).Yes, these are the moments I can look back on with pride. That many of them are still in my life now is a further blessing.

Holding a sobbing student whose horse had died; giving students a safe place at lunchtime to avoid being bullied; literally picking up students off the floor who just can not cope with life any more and helping them see a solution; the many times a student came to me just because they needed a hug; the ones that gave me hugs because they thought I needed one. Having Marietta West, a student form my first 2 years of teaching in Anahim Lake find me on Facebook 34 years later to tell me how much she had missed me when I left was one of the most mind blowing compliments I have ever been given.

All of these things and more flashed through my mind at Darius' question, but I gave him this answer, " When I see a light go on in my students' eyes that tells me that they "got it"! When I know that I have helped a student achieve a goal! When they come back years later to see me! These are the moments that tell me I have done well." I am blessed that many have come back. The latest one, Liam Murray - now a fine young teacher - despite me trying to scare him off teaching History because of the job situation - "You and Halman, you are the reason I am doing this." Somehow, I don't think that Peter Churchill ever told my mother that her strapping him shaped his life for the better.

Choices: right or wrong, they are ours to make, and we must wear the consequences of them. God knows I have made my share of bad ones. The bad and the good have made me who I am today. Looking back at where I was 12 years ago, I have come a long way. I may have taken the long route, but I got here! Now to move on to the next chapter.