Thank you Barb for asking me to be a guest writer. For all of you who have responded, thank you so much for your support of Rocio. If her entire story was told, many keyboards would short out from the tears. She and her family are heroes of mine.

By the way, I was wrong in one of my pieces of information: Rocio graduated 3rd in her class, not 4th. I knew that. Maybe I just hit the wrong key.

I taught one of her brothers a few years ago. He is now in college.

I have her youngest brother in class this year. He is a good young man. I cannot wait to see what he becomes.

Rocio is planning a trip to Costa Rica in a few weeks to work in a health clinic with FIMRC – Foundation for International Medical Relief of Children. I can’t wait for her to tell my students about that trip.

One day, I dream of being asked by Rocio to go on a medical/education trip. My wife and are already making plans. I want to learn more from the student who continues to teach me.

Readers, thank you so much for the positive comments.

~Ric Murry~

And from one middle school history teacher to another…I think we have a pretty cool job with a bunch of great kids. =)

From learning languages myself and knowing this to be true but it’s so hard to explain that, you know, “you’re not you” yet you are “completely you”… I enjoyed hearing about Rocio and thinking about how our learners touch our lives – usually posts are about how teachers touch our lives, you know – but it’s a two-way street!

Thanks, Barb+Ric+Rocio

Karenne

Rocio-
There’s always another hill–keep going! It’s okay if you walk sometimes, catch your breath, and take in the scenery when the hill just feels too steep–just keep moving.

You are an inspiration.

Yes, even from a distance – your student’s comment hit me in the gut like a well placed punch. Important, important reminder. I enjoyed and appreciate you sharing your “story” very much. It is this that really allows us to develop professionally – more so than the normal skills and bricks and mortar things of teaching.

I really think we have to allow students to learn through their own “eyes, ears, bodies” more. I’ve had it with the all knowing “teacher” stuff and curriculum that is designed in code. Especially with language, we need to allow students to “create the content” . I call it SCC – student created content. Everything students use to foster language learning comes from their world, the real world and incorporates their language (and a language isn’t just Spanish/English but how they read the world, their “thought” that informs action). I guess I’ll have to write the book — it is not that halfway house called, student centered learning, but something different.

I just wish we had more opportunity to work from their end of things…..

After I graduated teacher’s college, my mentor and former coach/geography teacher took me for a walk. He said he had one thing to tell me about teaching. He said, the worst thing about teaching was always saying good – bye. That students came and went, came and went. Dust in the wind. He said, if you are going to be a teacher – get used to that… so I hear you about wanting to work longer with one group. However, there is always an end I think and like love, a lot can happen in a flash or over a long period of time. Just depends.

Rocio,

Please keep running! Up and down and even around hills! I believe like you, that we are blessed as teachers and teaching is a vocation more than a pay check and job. I was listening to this MLK Jr. speech today – he says it much better…. http://www.thekingcenter.org/DrumMajor.swf

This post was mentioned on Twitter by kalinagoenglish: via @barbsaka I Only Thought I Knew My Students (by Ric Murray) http://bit.ly/9cQ7Ip #beltfree…