Back when I was in school, we used to write with pencils and paper...

I received an e-mail today that got me thinking... when we have grandchildren, what will we tell them about our elementary school experiences? It brings me back to the oh so familiar quote played out on television, movies, etc... where a grandmother or grandfather reflects on their childhood education experiences noting, "Back when I was in school, we had to walk barefoot in the snow..." You know how the rest goes. Well, I surely didn't walk to school barefoot in the snow during my elementary school days, but I did do some things that are quickly sliding out the door as technology rushes in.

You see, back when I was a kid, we used to write with pencils and paper and chalk and chalkboards. These days, as technology changes, so are the mediums in which children are learning to communicate. Scary for some with the amount of predators, etc. out there. But enlightening for others to see how the times are changing and children are adapting to this technological era. I can't imagine what my life would have been like if the Internet or e-mail had been around when I was in elementary school.

As many of you know, I was blessed with the opportunity to spend four years as a second grade teacher. The experience is one that helped shape me into the person I am today, as well as lead me to the path that I am currently on. During my years as a teacher, I shared the wealth of technologies with my second grade students teaching them how to use PowerPoint for class projects, SmartBoards for math lessons, and Web sites for research. Technology was always a part of our lessons as well. I was amazed by the Word savviness of my students. All of my students insisted on typing their final writing drafts at the end of our writer's workshops. Many of them were already aware of all of the bells and whistles in Word and learned to use bold, italics, and fonts effectively!

That's why, when I said goodbye to my students at the end of the school year, I was never surprised when they asked for my e-mail address to be able to contact me over the summer. However, this past school year was different as my students asked for my e-mail address because they knew they would not be able to see me in person when August rolled around. One little boy (I'll call him "B"), who is a story all in himself, recently e-mailed me and reminded me of the impact that teaching had on my life, as well as the impact I had on the life of my students. It is something that I will never forget, and I will always look back on as one of my greatest life experiences.

Here is his e-mail:

Hello! Ms.Williams,

I like third grade. Mrs.Streeter is my teacher.I got 3 A"s on my first reportcard.

We had a fun time in San Diego. We went to sea world, legoland,zoo, and saw Tiger Woods win the US open.

How is school at Clemson? When is your wedding?

I am playing academy soccer for SCSA and we won all of our games at a tournament in Greensboro last week.

Please come and see us if you come to Charlotte. I miss you very much.

Happy Thanksgiving!

love,

B

Thank you, "B"