“Hi Ms. Brinkman, do you remember me?”- is a sentence I am beginning to hear more and more as I advance in my teaching career. Having been at the same school for my entire career, (17) the benefit is having a high chance at reconnecting with former students and their families.
After hearing my name, I typically see a smiling face walking towards me, arms open for a hug, and a name tag they filled out in the office (thank goodness, as there have been at least a few times where the name did not come to me immediately!).
This first happened about 7 years ago, when I had stayed after school to work on report cards. As I was ushering students out the door, a young lady shyly approached me, smiling and saying, “It’s Esmerelda, do you remember me?”. As I took her in, the memories of her came flooding back; I was a young 2nd grade teacher and had been given a lively group of students that year. Esmerelda was one of them. On the first day of school, she had run into my classroom, pigtails bouncing, her glitter backpack trailing behind her, and straight to me for a hug. I definitely underestimated that hug; it felt like 15 linebackers were squeezing me! She had bounced off the walls, and certainly tested my patience, but by the end of the year, she had shown tremendous growth in all academic areas. As she sat down in a seat, she explained how she was doing: taking theater in high school, working after school, unsure of what to do once she graduated, but proud to have made it to that point. She then asked how I was enjoying teaching. I told her the tales of days gone wrong, moments of reflection in those times, and what I looked forward to in the coming years. Glancing at the clock, she hurriedly told me she was late for work and rushed out the door, but not before giving me an epic hug.
The following year, I was in the front office after school when I spied Lana and her younger brother Bryce visiting. They both ran to me, showing off their piercings and new hair colors. I couldn’t believe it when they started telling me about their adventures in high school. When I looked at them, I still saw them as second graders with their uniforms and makeup free faces. It made me think back to myself at that age and what I would have shared with a trusting teacher. These two were quite special, because they came back and visited me often throughout the years. I had their pictures in my classroom, along with many other former student photos and drawings that had been given to me.
One year, I helped teach after school reading, and during a session, Daniel walked in; he was a fifth grader at the time and wanted to help out by reading to the students. He had been a leader in my classroom: the youngest of four brothers, he played sports and loved to read. Math was his favorite subject, but he shined in class as a reader. My after school students had looked forward to his guest visits those afternoons. Years later, when I had his younger sister Mariah, she would visit me and read aloud to students as well.
One of the more memorable visits was from Maya; she had been quiet, sweet, attentive and one of my highest achieving students in class. I remember her reading books and sharing her favorite parts with me quite often. Over the years, I was thrilled to have had her younger brother and several cousins in my classroom. There were times when I would get a visit from one, two or more of them to my classroom. It was exciting to hear updates about each of them and the feeling of pride when they told me about specific accomplishments. She had come to deliver a high school graduation invite for me; I cried happy tears as I opened it and put the date on my calendar. It was my first attendance at a high school graduation ceremony for a student.
Weeks later, I received a visit from Sasha, a classmate of Mayas. She had been of of my more energetic students that year; extroverted to the max, she had no problem participating in anything required, had gotten a few “teacher stares” from me when the chatter didnt stop…..but she had an incredible kind heart. I got the biggest Valentine from her that year with a heartfelt message that is still in my teacher memory box. Bright eyed and talking rapidly, she told me that her graduation was weeks away and I had an invite. As we chatted about prom dresses and summer plans, I typed her graduation date into my phone. I thought to myself, “Okay, my next milestone as a teacher is to get an invite to a college graduation!”
Recently, on the last day of school before a holiday break, I saw a young woman walking around campus in a military uniform. I wondered who it was and thought their walk seemed familiar. During parking lot duty awhile later, I turned my head and the name “Katherine” flashed in my mind. She confidently walked up to me and said, “Oh my god Ms. Brinkman, your’re still here!!!!”. As we laughed and caught up, I couldn’t help but wonder what drew back students, time after time. After several minutes, I heard a car horn honk and she told me she needed to head out. As she turned to leave, I asked, “Katherine, what makes students come back to visit? Why did you choose to come here today?”. “Well, to be honest, school feels like home, even though we complain and get so excited for that bell to ring every day. All the teachers I had here made me feel like I would do something important or special when I graduated. You guys made school fun and safe at the same time.” With that, she gave me a quick hug and ran off to the parking lot.
What do you believe brings students back to visit a school?
Rebecca Brinkman
Rebecca Brinkman is a third-grade teacher in Phoenix, Arizona. She has taught at the same school for her entire 15-year career. Her campus is a second home and it has a strong family feel to it. This is what draws her back every year. She is excited to begin her “Sweet 16th” year of teaching! She has taught 2nd grade for ten years and 3rd grade for five years. She has served as a team lead on her campus for six years. She earned a Masters in Education with a focus on Curriculum and Instruction from Arizona State University, as well as a Masters in Reading. She also earned her Bachelor of Arts in Education from Arizona State University. Rebecca achieved National Board Certification in the fall of 2019 in Early to Middle Childhood Literacy. She is passionate about building relationships and creating magic in the classroom for her scholars. She credits her former speech teacher as her reason for becoming an educator. She profoundly impacted her attitude towards school and self-esteem as a young student; Rebecca realized she wanted to make that same impact on children by helping them realize their strengths and pushing through personal challenges. Her second biggest passion is travel! She can often be found planning her next big adventure. She also enjoys hiking, reading, storytelling with The Moth, volunteering and bucket listing. The quote that resonates most with her is, “The dream is free, but the hustle is sold separately.”
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Thank you for sharing so many special memories! Each year we build a “classroom family” and I feel like students love coming back to remember those moments.
Awww! This was lovely! Whether we like it or not, teachers touch lives. I have my students for at least 3 years at a time so they always wander back “home” to check in and when they need a safe space. And I love it!