My darling wife teaches second grade. The first graders had a letter writing center but were complaining that they had no one to write to who would write back, so she told them to write her. This matter of writing Mrs. Davison has taken off in the one class, and each day she gets a flurry of letters. Last week she brought home what she says is just a typical day's delivery, as follows.
To: Mrs. Davison
from: Cesar
Lopez
Dear Mrs. Davison
When i give you thsi latter. I think i am going to see a pretty face on cheaks and I'll see a prettest close and I like you if you were in my class.
Love
Lopez Cesar
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from Lorna
Thank you for helping our school. I love you Mrs. Davidson you are the Best teacher ever you are nice you are buetuful you are so much nice and so so so so nice to me and my class.
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And then this, a series of six letters all delivered as a "book," Each has "From Ashley" on the cover, and then one opens up to the following messages.
Dear Mrs. Davison y are so sweet
Dear Mrs. Davison you are a sweety pie
Dear Mrs. Davison you
are so cute today
I love your shoes
Dear Mrs. Davison
you look fantastick
Dear Ms Davison
you look osome
Dear Ms Davison
you are pretty call
me give me your
phone number
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I haven't the heart to tell her that I get emails like this all the time from co-workers. Seriously, though, in what other profession can you get this kind of adoration? I mean, besides working as a pop singer?
R World (Ron Davison muses aloud)
Dear Mrs. Davison: A long time ago, I was a teacher too and no one wrote to me with THIS kind of self-evident adoration. Actually, no one wrote to me at all even though I would get some slobbery kisses and sticky hugs every once in a while.
ReplyDeleteWhat an absolutely wonderful, adorable and touching testament of love these letters are. I don't doubt for a minute you're indeed the most "osome, fantastik, sweety pie, pretty face on cheaks," (that one had me just bursting into laughter) and well-shod teacher in the world.
Though my little boy is still too little (and I've no desire to hurry his growing up), I was almost wishing he were a second grader in your class. May he someday be blessed with a teacher like you who inspires this kind of love. You must give an awful lot of it to get so much back. Good for you.
Milena
P.S. Thanks for posting these Ron. What a great read.
That is so sweet. That last series has me a bit worried about stalking...
ReplyDelete(Does Mrs. Davison know you get these kind of comments from your readers? What? You don't? We're not holding up our end of things, then...)
ReplyDeleteIf first graders think Mrs. Davison is nice, it's a safe bet that she probably is. Lucky you, Mr. Davison.
These letters made me recall the urge to send such a letter to my seventh grade English teacher. "You are so pretty, you are so sweet, etc." I don't recall her name, but maybe she had something to do with my love of reading and writing...could I have been a good student to impress her?
ReplyDeleteGreat teachers have a huge impact on kids, and in many cases it may be because they are good, attractive (not necessarily physically attractive) people first and good teachers second.
How lucky Mrs. Davidson is to receive such love and adoration...and how lucky those children are to look forward to having her as a teacher, she sounds like one in a million!
ReplyDeleteChildren are such darling, little bodies of love, and they are constantly looking for ways to express it. When they are touched by a loving invitation to respond, they usually are so jazzed by the interaction, the overflow often turns into a deluge that often gets ignored for sheer practical reasons (few people want to answer 7 letters a day) Children are often confused by this and like all of us adore attention.
ReplyDeleteMilena,
ReplyDeleteShe does indeed give a lot. A staggering amount.
Holly,
I'm so glad that you said it first (the bit about stalking). I'm just glad that she doesn't teach grad school, groups that could actually drive by the house or compete more effectively for her affection.
Jennifer,
Lucky me indeed.
LH,
well said. I had not thought of this, but I'm sure it is right.
Suzanne,
She is rare. I actually went out of the country for her. (My domestic reputation had actually precluded my being able to win someone local.)
And lastly, not to Sandi but about her,
Can you see why we all - first graders and old farts alike - are so smitten by her?
indeed.
ReplyDelete