One of the best parts about being a teacher is, no doubt, the heart-warming letters that your students write you on a weekly basis. Although all of these hand-written treasures are precious and unique in their own way, most of them usually bear the same message of, “You are so beautiful. I love you so much. Thank you for being the best teacher.” While these cards are definitely keepers, every now and then you get one that touches your heart in such a way that it stays with you for the weeks to come.
And a couple of months ago, I got a very special letter from a very special student that will no doubt stay with me for many years.
It came from one of my girls whose mother has been living in the States for the past 4.5 years. She’s one of my highest speaking students, hardly has an accent when she talks, puts forth her best effort in everything she does, and is literally a 30-year-old woman trapped in a 10-year-old’s body. She’s mature beyond her years, has impeccable comportamiento in class, and is literally the kind of student that every teacher dreams of having. And all you need is 10 minutes with this girl to learn that her mother is her hero. The way she talks about her mom is unparalleled, and she does it without even shedding a tear. Instead, she is all smiles – her eyes light up, and you can see the love she has for her mother in every aspect of her face.
Personally, I cannot imagine being 10 years old and not knowing when I would ever see my mother again … much less talking about my mother without breaking down and crying from how much I would be missing her. The strength of this small child is unimaginable, and it would be an understatement to say that her positivity, happiness, and vibrancy is nothing short of inspiring for me.
Back in November, the kinder/prepa teachers and I went on a home visit to her house. Since her mom lives in the United States, she and her brother (who is in kinder) live with their grandmother in a small house in a neighboring village near Cofradía. This particular visit was by far one of my favorite. We played monopoly, watched Alvin and the Chipmunks, and played some soccer outside on their patio before the grandmother called us in to have dinner. Right before we sat down to eat, however, the grandmother’s cell phone rang. It was the mom, calling as she does every night to check on her children. After my student had talked to her mom, she handed the phone to me. Beaming, she said, “Miss Sarah! Here’s the phone. My mom wants to talk to you!”
I wish I could describe how touched I was when she handed me the phone. I walked outside and talked to her mom for a good 10 minutes. Her mom actually lives in Houston, which is very close to where I live (San Antonio). We talked about Texas for a couple of minutes, but then we moved onto her daughter. She asked me how her daughter does in school, how she behaves, and all the typical sorts of things that mothers ask about their children. It was just wonderful to be able to tell her what a phenomenal and respectful student her daughter is and not have to “tweak” anything in the slightest. I told her how her daughter is a verdadera leader in the class who has won the respect of all her classmates by being such a unique and exemplary individual. I told her that her daughter works very hard, always listens, and is the kind of student every teacher dreams of.
I could hear the pain in her mother’s voice as she talked about how difficult the sacrifice has been to be away from her children, but I could also hear the bittersweet happiness in her words as she responded to what I had just told her. Although the only way to support her family is to live in another country, she was glad that “the sacrifice has been worth it,” because her daughter is able to get the sort of education she’d always dreamed her child would.
I went to bed that night still so touched by the experience I’d had at this particular home visit. I finally got to speak to this student’s mother, about whom I have heard so much, and I got to share in a part of my student’s life that I know is so near and dear to her heart.
Fast forward a few months, back to January, and you would find me reading a small letter that was left on my desk one of my first days back. I didn’t end up coming back to school that first week after break because I was sick, but I was back in Cofradía that second week, which was when I received this particular letter. Unlike most student cards and artwork, this one was different. It was a simple letter written in pencil with plenty of adorable spelling mistakes. It read (with spelling mistakes edited for comprehension purposes):
Dear Miss Sarah, thank you for being a great super teacher. For us you are wow … you are awesome teacher I’d ever meet before. Love you so so so so so so so so so so so so much. Look when you were not here I felt sick because you were not in here and now you are here and now I feel very very good. When you are here you give me the strength to pay attention more. Love you so so much. Oh and I love all your family they are like you with a big heart! 🙂 Love you! I hope you like the letter and the card! 🙂
What got me, however, were the last few lines, which read:
You are like my mom with a big heart, and sometimes I feel like I am with her when I am with you. I feel like I am next to my mom. I love you so so much.
It was at that moment that I realized there are so many other roles we take on here, especially with this specific group of kids. Most of them (if not all) are growing up with a relative in the United States, and unfortunately for many, this relative is one or both parents. To know that to this one student I am not just her teacher, but a way to make her feel closer to her mother, is a feeling I will never forget. I don’t think I will ever meet a group of kids as loving, accepting, and inspirational as this group right here. I really do have the coolest and most rewarding job.
