I was 10 when a teacher changed my life. Her name is Karen Willard. She was my Miss Honey, for those of you non-Roald Dahl fans, from his novel, Matilda. She taught me a lot of things, perhaps most importantly: my love of learning. I never thought, in a million years, I’d end up a teacher, in a 4th grade classroom in Greenfield, MA. My road to the classroom was long and took me away to many rich and beautiful places that weren’t anywhere near a classroom.
Philadelphia, Chile, Arizona, California, and back home again to Western, MA. Where, in a mid year hire, I started work at the Disney World of Elementary Schools, Newton School. I assure the reader of this editorial, there simply is no other place on earth like Newton. From the faculty and staff, students, and every community member who ever entered our building to call it home for a little bit - this is truly the happiest place on earth.
This year, I have enjoyed the magical experience of looping with my 3rd graders to 4th grade. It has been the best ride our amusement park has to offer. I’ve learned to teach and learn in brand new ways. I have watched struggling readers pick up the knack and take off reading hundreds of pages a day. I watched the kid who could barely add in September two years ago - divide with the biggest numbers I can muster.
To say that I love this class, well that would be the penultimate understatement of the year, right? I have loved watching them grow into the 5th graders who will march up to the middle school or MSA or homeschool next year. It has been the greatest privilege of my life. What could be sweeter than all of that?
Well, Tuesday morning of this very week my principal, the fairest Queen of Newton, Melodie Goodwin, entered my room to announce that someone had come by to say hi to the class. In room 115 we host a Mystery Reader every Friday where someone from the community comes to read to the class, YOU’RE invited too, just send an email along. So a visitor, at 10 am on a Tuesday, while a little odd, was not anything entirely new. In fact, just a few Tuesdays before, Superintendent Harper had come by to award me the Pioneer Valley Award for Excellence in Teaching - a big shock in it’s own rite.
However, as I walked down the hall of Newton School and the rain let up outside the tall windows, the face I recognized was one I thought for sure - we would never see. For authors, like the one standing in the hall with black rimmed glasses and a very kind smile, are extremely busy people. They write, write, write, pitch, pitch, pitch, sell, sell, sell, and hopefully, write, write, write some more. Specifically this author, who we know travels the world sharing his stories with children and adults alike, is a very busy dude. So why on earth would THE Mr. Tony DiTerlizzi be standing in my hallway at 10 am on a Tuesday? Reader, because he is simply THAT kind and THAT incredible.
As Tina Turner says, “Never in my wildest dreams…” He had come to say hi to my class who had just finished reading The Search for Wondla, the first book in his outstanding Wondla Trilogy. He’ll tell you it’s because I wrote a thank you email that went to his wonderful wife, who took time from her busy schedule to read it, and then gave it to him...but in all reality - it’s also because he gets kids. An author visit, for just a few minutes even, will change the course of their lives, I can almost guarantee. They learned about the process and the passion and about what makes Tony the writer he is today, hint: it’s a lot about learning to love drawing and writing. They asked a million and one questions and the smiles on their faces said they understood the magnitude of time - the time he was giving and they were getting. It was magical day in a very magical place.
I was asked the other day, by some family in Westfield, the city I call home, where many of my family are principals and retired school administrators, why on earth I travel an hour to and from Greenfield to teach. The answer is as simple as, “the kids” and perhaps as complex as I, along with authors like Tony and N. Griffin and THE Natasha Lowe and community members like Chef Molly and Dr. Mary Grassetti, who have all visited room 115, know that helping children learn to love learning - is one of the greatest works and honors one might ever know. For me, Newton is that place where everyone is here for the kids. All the time. For all intents and purposes, it’s like riding Space Mountain - and never having to get off.
