September 19, 1968

 

     This is my annual post to honor my father who was killed when his plane went down just three miles short of the runway in Ubon, Thailand. following a mission in an F-16 fighter jet over Vietnam.  I had just turned seven years old, when life, as I knew it, was turned upside down. 

     As I reflect on this day, I firmly believe that this traumatic event has shaped me into who I am today.  You see, in my seven year-old brain, my daddy died while I was at school, so if I went to school, my mommy would die, too.  I can vividly remember hiding under the dining room table, sobbing, and refusing to come out.

     Enter Maxine Moore and Louise Schuman.  Mrs. Moore was my second grade teacher and Mrs. Schuman was the counselor at Hawthorne Elementary School in Lincoln, Nebraska.  These two women were instrumental in getting me back into the school.  Mrs. Moore would meet me at the door, before school started, and let me come to the classroom before the rest of the class arrived. I would pass out morning work, draw pictures, or sharpen pencils. Oftentimes, Mrs. Schuman would be there, as well.  While I thought they were just hanging out, they were quietly helping me feel comfortable before the other students arrived.

     A year later, my mom remarried and we moved two hours from Lincoln, to the farm.  The farm was, and still is heaven!  My brother and I were also just a mile from our cousins. I had a horse and so many farm cats!!  However, my mom saw the importance in retaining that relationship with those who had helped me through my darkest time, so she kept our dentist in Lincoln.  She'd make our appointments for later in the day and afterwards, we'd always see Mrs. Moore.  

     Mrs. Moore even came to my high school graduation! When it was time for college, I decided that I wanted to be a teacher, like Mrs. Moore.  So, it was back to Lincoln for me, to attend the University of Nebraska.  Mrs. Moore continued to be there for me.  I would go to her home to study or talk about what I was learning and feed off of her experience.  If I didn't go back to the farm on the weekend, there was an open-door policy for Sunday dinner at Mrs. Moore's home.

     It is because of Mrs. Moore's strong influence that I teach the way I do.  I firmly believe in the coined educational phrase, "Maslow before Bloom," meaning that each child's physiological and social emotional needs must be met before any deep learning can happen. Her impact on my life was so great that I dedicated the book I wrote to her.