A Grateful Mother

At Parents' Day, a student's mother introduced herself to me. I don't teach her daughter, and I haven't taught her daughter. I will probably never teach her daughter. But the woman gave me a gift as great as the one her daughter gave her.

Last year, her daughter created an illustrated book, one of several writing projects in ninth-grade English, of which I was in charge. My friend Ron, who taught her daughter's section, shepherded the student as she composed a beautiful book about her grandmother's dementia. The mother wanted me to show her the book. She couldn't ask Ron because he isn't teaching this year.I showed her the book, and she cried. We then had a long conversation about why writing matters, during which she said, "Sometimes, I don't think you English teachers know just how important you can be." And then she thanked me. I accepted on Ron's behalf.

I do know writing matters, but being reminded, again, especially on Parents' Day, is a welcome gift.