That was one important message we got from our author study of Patricia Polacco and her two books, "Thank You Mr. Falker" and "The Junkyard Wonders". Both stories are about the author Patricia Polacco's childhood, particularly the years of fifth and sixth grade. In "Thank You Mr. Falker", Patricia sufferd from dyslexia, and a school bully picks on her and calls her names. A kind and compassionate teacher named Mr. Falker helps her through this rough time in her life and most importantly, teaches Patricia how to read.
In "The Junkyard Wonders" Patricia is assigned to a special class that other students in the school call the "junkyard". Her new teacher Mrs. Peterson teaches her "junkyard wonders" that what some people see as junk, others see as items of wondrous possibilities. Through optimism and imagination, Mrs. Peterson teaches her students to strive for their dreams. That class ended up producing a future engineer for the Apollo missions at NASA, a director of the American Ballet Company, an international textile designer, and one of the most successful children's authors of our day, Patricia Polacco.
Most of us were fortunate enough to have a "Mr. Falker" or "Mrs. Peterson"growing up. A special teacher that made us try harder and made us feel special and unique. I remember one of my favorite teachers, Mrs. Baucom, my third grade teacher. She was positive, inspiring, and supremely kind. This week, share with your child about a special teacher you had. It will be fun to share memories, and remember that school is so much more than tests and homework. It is a place to feel safe and know the simple joy of learning.
