Peter Greene: A Teacher’s Final Lesson

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1. retired teacher says:

   October 10, 2019 at 11:25 am

   I am reminded of a young special education teacher in her third year of teaching. She was married with two young children. She had had breast cancer before, but in her third year in the district, it returned with a vengeance. After treatment, she returned to work. Soon after, I could tell she was having labored breathing. My father had gone through the same breathing problems when he had late stage cancer. She continued to drag herself in. I waited by her car in the morning to bring in her bags, which she accepted, but she did not want any more help. She passed away over spring break. She was 34. Cancer is a cruel disease! Life is short. Make the most of it, and don’t sweat the small stuff.

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2. carolmalaysia says:

   October 10, 2019 at 12:12 pm

   I worked as an elementary music teacher for two years in a suburb of Chicago and had to travel between two schools.
   In one of the schools I found a few gifts in the closet that were wrapped as Christmas gifts. They had been given to the last music teacher who had died of cancer.
   She managed to work her last year until Christmas vacation but didn’t have the energy to take home all the gifts.
   She kept her illness hidden from the principal who would not have supported someone who was this sick.
   What does this say about some of our administrators when teachers have to keep hidden the fact that they are dying?

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   • retired teacher says:

     October 10, 2019 at 12:43 pm

     In my district administration was very supportive of this teacher. The district left all decisions up to the teacher. Parents and students were wonderful as well. This young woman came to school with an oxygen tank! She had just finished her master’s degree and was determined to work as long as she could. It makes a big difference when a district stands behind an employee in crisis. After her passing, the school community planted a tree in front of the school and invited her family to attend the dedication. This is how a school community should behave!

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     • carolmalaysia says:

       October 10, 2019 at 12:54 pm

       retired teacher: “It makes a big difference when a district stands behind an employee in crisis.”

       How refreshing to learn that some people are beautiful human beings who care about others.

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     • ciedie aech says:

       October 10, 2019 at 2:06 pm

       SAD that this is “refreshing” — but it truly is

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   • carolmalaysia says:

     October 10, 2019 at 6:07 pm

     I wrote about a school in _______ IL. Once it became known that one man teacher and I were being let go, none of the teachers would talk to us. [I had ONE friend who would meet in the basement behind bookcases to speak with me.] They all were afraid of being labeled friends of ours and the principal would retaliate in some nasty manner.

     The man teacher called where we would sit in the lunch room as the ‘loser table’. My friend would sit with us and sometime later she was treated horribly by the principal. I think it almost drove her crazy. She was having lots of emotional problems from being treated so badly.

     This is why the music teacher before me wouldn’t admit that she had cancer and didn’t have the strength to pack up all of her presents. The principal wouldn’t have accepted her and would have caused serious problems for her.

     Teachers were afraid of the principal. Fortunately, she left a few years after I was gone.

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     • retired teacher says:

       October 11, 2019 at 3:59 pm

       It sounds like East Berlin before the wall fell.

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3. markstextterminal says:

   October 10, 2019 at 12:22 pm

   Wow.

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4. AlwaysLearning says:

   October 10, 2019 at 6:01 pm

   Ashley was an inspiration to everyone that knew her. She was beautiful inside and out. It was appropriate that she taught gifted students because she was truly a gifted educator. Her greatest lesson was in her own last words- “My wish for you is to stop letting insignificant situations stress you out. Do what is important to you. Relax and enjoy the company of those around you. What do you value in your life? In the end, that’s what matters.”

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5. LeftCoastTeacher says:

   October 10, 2019 at 8:55 pm

   I am thankful.

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