How the heck did I get this "Mentor" gig?

I look back at my career as a teacher and think, how did I make it those first years? I mean, honestly, I was as green as the new shoots of spring! No Joke. I know that some would feel that is a lie but I was one of those that had to grow into my teaching persona. I had a hard time with control in the classroom and keeping lessons coherent and knowing how to grade papers and doing the most stupid things. I was pitiful, really I was. Oh, how sad I was!

I envied those like my wife that seemed to be born a teacher. No kidding, her mom tells stories of how she would line up her stuffed animals on her bed and "teach" them. Have you ever seen her going down a hall with twenty little kinders all in a row behind her like little ducklings? Cute as the dickens, yes, but puts a kink in my crawl. I remember walking down the hallway of her school one day while she had a 6th grader in a Come to Jesus talk. He took a step towards her petite 5-foot self to intimidate her. . . he learned fast that was NOT a good idea. I think I even hesitated a moment!

It would have been all over but the cryin' by the second year if it were not for my mentor. My mentor saved my career. She was a 60 year old feisty enthusiastic full of life love with a passion woman. And she gave me more than I could ever repay. She guided me to be the teacher I am today. She taught me what it really meant to be a teacher.

Lessons like -

If you are not having fun, you are not doing it right.

If you try to be the teacher you envy, you will never be the teacher you are meant to be.

They are just kids, you don't let them hurt your feelings. 

You know the stuff, you know how you understand it, now show them how you understand it.

If you love it, so will they.

If you don't know, say you don't know. Then model how you would find out.

Never be afraid to show them you are a human with feelings and a life. 

I can remember to this day how she would come into my room and take a seat in one of my student chairs. She would look at me as I sat all pitiful and looking beaten down and say, "Do you want to be fired?" Then she would tell me what I was doing wrong and then tell me how I can fix it. In those first three years, I learned a lot. I grew a lot. I matured a lot. And, it was all because of her. 

Then I lost my job, moved halfway across the country, and started it all again. This is when I met my second mentor. She was my emotional mentor and boy did I need it! I owe her more than I can say, too.

So, now I wear the mantle of Mentor myself and I have no idea how I got it. Well, That is not true. I know. The reason I spent all that time talking about my mentors is because a good mentor makes good mentors. I feel this obligation to mentor and care for those around me because I know what it was like. I know how hard a job teaching can be. I know that it can be debilitating some days. I feel such empathy towards all these new teachers that I am compelled to help them become the teacher they are because someone did that for me. And, I didn't really realize it at first. 

Look at this:

I’m incredibly happy for you! Doesn’t mean I’m not also sad about it (moving to a different school). You’ve been, hands down, one of the best mentors to me since I started teaching. I know you tell me all the time you were irritated that I came in and taught like an experienced professional off the bat—but to me that’s not true. And if it weren’t for you and your mentoring, I doubt I would have made it as far as I have. Words will never adequately convey how thankful I am to have worked with you, and to have been mentored by you. When I’ve had rough days, it’s been you who found a way to help me see the bright side. And when things didn’t go right with my wife and her job at the school, you were always one of the first to try and “fix” the problem, because that’s just who you are. You’ve really left a mark with me and her, and I know she would agree wholeheartedly.

I love ya. Expect to keep in touch—because I’ll need my science dad on both the rough days and the good days. Just because you move buildings doesn’t exempt you from being the wise ear and shoulder to lean on. Thank you so, so much for everything you’ve imparted on me these last six years. You were the person I needed and more.

I am not going to lie, I shed a tear on this one. I had no idea I had made that kind of impact on this one. Again, I am finding out that good mentors make good mentors. I have taken up the behaviors of mentoring others without really knowing. It had become a habit for me. I didn't even realize I was doing it. So, someday, those I have made such an impact on, they will take up the job someday down the road. Maybe they will be aware, maybe they won't. 

I would have argued all day long back in those days that I would never be the mentor mine was. I would be able to guide a youngin to be a great teacher. At the time I would have thought I was barely keeping it together myself. Well, here I am, 18 yrs later offering my advice, enthusiasm, and guidance. Who would have thought? Not me. That is for sure! 

So, carry on my mentees. Do what you do. Keep growing and refining. Keep becoming the teacher you are meant to be. Never feel that you cannot pull on my ear.