Maestra Teacher
  • Blog
  • About Me

Teachers, Keep on Teaching 

9/11/2016

1 Comment

 
y friend Allison posted something on Facebook that paralleled my own situation on 9/11 and made me think back to that scary day. She posted about how clearly she remembered teaching on 9/11 and I was reminded how in so many hard, frightening, unbearable situations, teachers often do what they are best at: they keep teaching. 

On 9/11, I was in my 6th year of teaching French at a private school on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. My then 8 month old son was at home at our apartment in Queens with my husband. I remember learning what happened, all the teachers trying to retain a sense of normalcy and calm, which became more difficult as more and more parents came to pick up their children, if only to hug them tightly and take them home. We kept teaching, and during breaks watched the horror unfold on televisions around the school. The whole day, we taught, we stayed with our students - as much as many of us wanted to rush home, to also hug our loved ones and make sure they were all safe.

When I left school that day, I wasn't sure how I would get home. Many teachers at my school lived within walking distance; I lived in Flushing, a two 15 minute walks, two trains trip from school. Up Madison Avenue, zombie-like figures, covered in ash, were still walking north from Ground Zero. By the time I made it to the train station, some trains were running again. From the platform where I changed trains in Queens, we could see smoke billowing up over lower Manhattan. I was never happier to get home and be with my husband and baby.  

We were lucky compared to others. In our whole school, only one student lost a stepfather. Many others, whose parents worked in the World Trade Center or were there for business, had extremely close calls. Instead of going into work, one had taken a sick day. Another one had gone to work too late - late enough to know that he need not go in at all. Everyone knew someone who had died or who had escaped. 

The next day, we had the day off. The city was in shock and in mourning. The death toll was rising, and people everywhere searched for missing loved ones. All over train stations, bus stops, and anywhere people could put them were pictures and phone numbers, begging us to call if we saw their friends or family. At the same time, the city came together like never before. People were kind and generous, helpful and empathetic. It was an unforgettable time. 

And the next day, teachers did what we do: we returned to our schools. We welcomed our students back, we had lessons ready for them, and we taught. 





1 Comment
kodi.software link
6/20/2024 02:56:22 pm

I wanted to express my gratitude for your insightful and engaging article. Your writing is clear and easy to follow, and I appreciated the way you presented your ideas in a thoughtful and organized manner. Your analysis was both thought-provoking and well-researched, and I enjoyed the real-life examples you used to illustrate your points. Your article has provided me with a fresh perspective on the subject matter and has inspired me to think more deeply about this topic.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Picture

    Archives

    September 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    January 2023
    September 2022
    May 2022
    February 2022
    October 2021
    September 2021
    June 2021
    March 2021
    January 2021
    October 2020
    September 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014

    RSS Feed

    View my profile on LinkedIn
Proudly powered by Weebly
Photos from Prayitno / Thank you for (11 millions +) views, Clint Mason
  • Blog
  • About Me