There's Something Special About First Period

As many of you probably know, I taught high school math for fourteen and a half years at Shelby High School.  Eight and a half years ago, I had the opportunity to move to Cleveland Community College.  I have never doubted that it was the right move for me professionally, but quitting that job was the one of hardest things that I have ever done.

I had the chance to teach some really awesome people there - people that I thought were pretty neat when they were in high school and that have not disappointed me as they have become adults.  With my particular teaching assignment, I was lucky enough to teach some students for two or three of their four years of high school math. I'm telling you, there is no better way to build relationships with students than to get to know them over the course of a few years.

I'm thinking specifically today about some of my first period classes.  For me, first period was the best time of the day.  I was fresh.  The students sometimes weren't quite awake.  There was more time to really talk to them before school started and we had to get moving on whatever I was teaching.  For whatever reasons, I could be a little more relaxed with a class at the beginning of the day, and they seemed more forgiving when I was a total goofball.  Cora and Morgan laughed at me when I did "Kermit arms" because I was really excited about something.  Maryam and Heather did not laugh at me when I practiced my solo for the school musical in front of their class because I was scared to death to sing in front of people.  We sometimes met before school at The Pancake House, and sometimes they would bring me coffee if some of them met over there and I couldn't go.

Aaah...that coffee during first period class.  For me, there was always a cup.  Some days I needed to slurp it down to try to ingest enough caffeine to function.  Other days, I could sip slowly.  One of my first period students went to Disney World over Spring Break.  She brought me a Mickey Mouse mug.  That mug is special to me and it always will be.  If it ever breaks, I am going to be devastated.

If you are wondering why I'm going on and on about students that I taught years ago and coffee and mugs, I ask for your patience.  I'm getting to the pottery part soon.

I got an email from a high school student in Tennessee a few weeks ago.  This young man's first period teacher is a former student of mine. This teacher had a special mug that he drank from every morning and students knew not to touch it.  It turns out that I made that mug.  First of all, I am honored when I hear that something that I have made is a favorite.  There is no greater compliment.

Yep, you guessed it.  The past tense when I talk about the mug was the give away, wasn't it?  Someone in this first period class broke the mug one morning.

This is the really neat part.  This student was listening when his teacher talked about his old teacher, and he was listening when he talked about his hometown in North Carolina.  This student found me, and asked if I would make Mr. Garwood a replacement mug in honor of Teacher Appreciation Week.

I was not sure that I would be able to meet the deadline, but I did!  Mr. Garwood received his mug today on his last day of school.  I hope he likes it.  😊