Deep Appreciation

What the students thought....

Kerry is a high school history teacher. Chance is a fifth grade teacher.

They are cousins. They talk to each other over email.

This is the place to follow their year-long journey through one school year.

Teaching is rewarding and full of interesting challenges.

Navigating school district politics is difficult and grueling.

If you missed earlier episodes, the best way to binge-read Scrambling for Voice, Choice, and Agency is to use this Table of Contents link to previous posts.

Fear not: If you miss reading some episodes of this serial story, you can still pick up the action.

Episode 48 of 49 episodes

From: Chance
Thanks for the visit
To: Kerry sent - Gmail at 10:03 PM

Hi Kerry—

It was great seeing you tonight. Thanks for making me laugh at my situation. This broken leg makes for a very grand exit from teaching, doesn’t it??

Thanks for going over to my school to pick up the letters from my students. I can’t wait to read them.

I hope I can get some sleep tonight.

Chance

–

Letters from Chance’s students:

You are the best teacher I ever had. If I did not have you for a teacher I would not know how girls like me were treated in this country. I want to change things. Get better so you can you be my teacher for next year.
Malik

I hope you come back to school soon. My mom says that when she was my age, the school she went to did not teach her about the different ways that different groups of people had to fight to get people to listen to them. I will fight hard for everyone when I get older, especially girls like me who have dark colored skin.
Kalisha

I wish you had not hurt yourself. If you don’t come back to school this year, I will come visit you next year when my brother is in your class. I want to learn what I need to do to become a teacher like you. I want to teach kids like the ones in this neighborhood.
Ladonna

Are you going to come back and teach us how to fight for everyone’s rights? I am a good fighter. I could really help other people. Get well soon.
Hakeem

You need to come back to school soon. My family misses you. You did not just teach me. You taught my whole family. We talked about democracy and human rights every night at the dinner table. My mom and dad said that they wished they had a teacher like you when they were in the 5th grade. They think that the school across town might have taught the things you taught us, but not their school. Once, they went to that other school for a conference. It was a different school from the one they attended where there was a policeman out in front, and they had to pass through a metal detector every day.
Jamal

My parents did not grow up in America. They are happy I am learning all about democracy from you. They wish they were in your class. When my sister is in your class, my mom wants to help you every day because she wants to learn about America from you. Maybe you will let her tell the kids why she wears a scarf on her head. Get well soon.
Khalil

In the Pacific Islands, boys are named Enele because it means wisdom. You made my name come true for me. Thank you. Come back to school soon. I need more wisdom.
Enele

I want to be a teacher just like you. Everyone needs teachers like you. How did you learn to do it?
Jabari

My mom and dad came here from Viet Nam when they were little kids. They liked the schools in this country. They learned lots of things. They said that the teachers here were not nice to all of the kids like you are. You taught us that we should fight for our rights and for everyone else’s rights. Come back soon. Kids in this country need you to be their teacher.
Nguyen

What can I do to help you? I would like to weed your garden. Do you have a garden? I want to help you the way you helped me understand things. I am sorry I made so many jokes in class and made everyone laugh all of the time. I liked it when I made you laugh. Do you want me to come to your house and tell you jokes?
Yuusuf

Do you remember when I spit on the playground? You were very kind to me. Thank you for teaching me about spitting. Where I come from everyone spits all of the time. We always spit on the ground in the camp we lived in before we moved here. I want to learn more from you. Please come back soon.
Yohan

Mrs. Kerr is helping me write this. All my other teachers told me I was dumb. You didn’t. You let me be the most powerful person in the play. I wanted to change the story. I wanted to be fair to everyone, but you said I couldn’t. I will change things when I get old. Come back soon. We need you.
Huang

I want you to get better. I have learned many things in your class. When I started, I did not know too much English. I want to learn more. After you fell, I learned some new words. Thank you
Abdul

There was a long war in my country. My family got away. We are lucky to be here. I was lucky to have you for a teacher. I want you to get better.
Fattanah

I am praying for you to get well. When my parents first came to this country, they were scared and couldn’t do very many jobs. They want me to go to college. You made me think that I might get to college. You made me know that learning is fun. No one else told me that I could change things.
Juan

Come back. If it wasn’t for you, I would still be staying in that room down the hall with the special teacher. You said that I would learn more in your room and you did not care what the tests said. My mother told me what you said at that meeting. I am glad everyone listened to you. When we were writing the play, I learned that I have to stand up for myself. Thank you for standing up for me.
Manuela

Did you know that I get that lunch ticket every day because some days we do not have food at my house? Did you know that sometimes I put food in my pocket for my little brother and sister? When I come to school next week where will I get that ticket? Come back to school soon or send me a message about where you keep the lunch tickets.
Guadalupe

Get well…I always thought that I should be a basketball player because of my name. Now I want to be a teacher because of you. Anyone can learn to play basketball, but not everyone can be a teacher like you.
Shaquille

My brother is in high school. He says school is a waste of time. He wants to join our class. Will you let him? He is very big and strong. He could help you get around. He wants to learn what you are teaching.
Mary

I am sorry you hurt yourself. I am also happy that I stayed to help clean up. I had no idea that teachers knew all of those words you were saying.
Santiago

My mom says you taught her so much about learning that she wishes she was ten years old. What did you teach her? She never listens to me, but she listened to you. What is your secret?
Ernie

When I grow up I want to be president. You taught me that anyone can be anything they want to be. I want to be president so that people see that girls can be anything. It will be just like we were saying in our play. Maybe you should be president before me so you can teach everyone what you taught us.
Lacresha

Some of us didn’t write to you. Our substitute Mrs. Kerr let us work on a play to welcome you back to school. We couldn’t decide between the Revolution or Civil Rights. We voted like in a democracy. The Revolution won. Come back so we can show you what we know about starting a country where all the people are created equal. We don’t like the idea of one person or a king telling everyone else what to do. You will be so surprised who is playing Thomas Paine. Come back soon.

It took all day to write these letters and work on the new play. Mrs. Kerr helped us spell everything right. Are you impressed? Come back soon. We all want to push your wheelchair.