My personal childhood web includes many great influences. The most influential person from my childhood has to be my mother Linda Starnes. She made me feel important and loved when I was a child. She taught me how to be myself and that we should never give up. I know that I gained my love for learning and reading from her. When I was a child she read to me from anything she had available. I come from a very large family, full of cousins, and they would all come to my house to hear my mother tell stories. When I decided that I wanted to be a teacher she supported and encouraged me like no other. When I got my first teaching job I think she was more excited than I was. My mother passed away almost two years ago and I know she would still be proud, especially for me going back to school to earn my Masters. Another great influence that I had when I was little was my kindergarten teachers Mrs. Walters and Mrs. Jenkins. They were everything good teachers were supposed to be. I still remember, after all of these years, the first field trip we went on was to our local zoo. It was getting time to go and I did not get to see the tigers. Mrs. Jenkins knew that tigers were my favorite animals and walked me to see them just the two of us before we left. At the time I did not know that she was mirroring for me how as teachers we have know our children individually and sometimes a little special attention can mean the world to a child.
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Joseph. I loved to hear about how your mother would read to you all the time. I read to my daughter everyday, and such a little thing such as taking the time to read to our children, can make a lasting mark in their lives, as it did yours.
ReplyDeleteJoseph,
ReplyDeleteIt was refreshing to see that your important people included teachers. I am sure that whether you know it or not, you would be included on many children's personal web's of support also!
Joseph, when I grew up, most parents did not know about reading to their children. Maybe because I grew up in a third world country where little education was available. However, I love the way your mother read to you. My mother also would be proud of me now that I went back to school. Even she had little access to education, she loved seeing us attending school.
ReplyDeleteJoseph,
ReplyDeleteI really loved reading your heart warming words about your mother. I can only hope my son will view me this way one day. You are fortunate to have had the love and support she gave you. Thank you for sharing this!