Her unforgettable 4th grade teacher

He may not remember her after many years of teaching, but Tina will never forget her 4th grade teacher. From him she discovered that learning is one of the best things about being alive, and she has passed that along to her three kids. She remembers that in his class she read her first novel from cover to cover, but more than that, she remembers the day she told him she was moving away. She just found out the night before. He asked why, and for some reason, she told him the truth. She said her family was falling apart and her mother decided to leave her father.

She will never forget what happened next. He told the rest of the class it was free time to talk and play, and took her out into the hall. They talked for over an hour! She can't recall what he said, but for the first time in her life she spoke freely. He listened attentively. He made her feel important. That was the last time she saw him. The next day she packed all she could fit into a suitcase; said goodbye to her toys and stuffed animals, got in the car with her mom and drove far away. But she took the memory of her fourth grade teacher. "I was freed from the burden of secrecy and fear because he encouraged me to speak. He gave me a glimmer of hope. So I hope that, if he should ever wish he did something unforgettable, he'll take a moment to think of all the students he had, and the things he did to change so many young lives for the better."