Years ago when our son was busy studying his bar mitzvah Torah portion, we were busy planning the celebratory luncheon that would follow the service. (See Ghostwriting in the Family)
We picked the restaurant, selected the menu, made up the guest list, and sent out the invitations.
We invited family of course, our friends and our son’s friends, old college classmates, long-time neighbors, and business colleagues of my husband and teaching colleagues of mine – all the communities that were so meaningful to the three of us. And accordingly we drew up a seating plan for the luncheon.
And then on that joyous bar mitzvah day we went from table to table thanking all our guests for coming. And altho I felt close to everyone gathered in the room that day, it was the table where my teaching colleagues were sitting I felt I best belonged.
I spend all my working hours with my colleagues, we mentor and support each other, we share our passions and our goals, and we appreciate what we do day-to-day far better than our spouses or our friends ever could. (See Mr October, Magazines for the Principal, The Diary of a Young Girl, The Parking Lot Seniority List, Educator of the Year and Going Back to Work)
When we put our hearts and souls into our work, it’s the community of our colleagues who know us best!
Jane Addams HS Faculty Reunion – 2014
Jane Addams HS Faculty Reunion – 2023
– Dana Susan Lehrman
Dana Susan LehrmanThis retired librarian loves big city bustle and cozy country weekends, friends and family, good books and theatre, movies and jazz, travel, tennis, Yankee baseball, and writing about life as she sees it on her blog World Thru Brown Eyes!
www.WorldThruBrownEyes.com
Beautiful tribute to your colleagues. Love the pics. Unfortunately the teachers I worked with for the longest time, were so enamored in gossip and backstabbing that I kept a polite distance. Keeping a handful of teachers as friends allowed us to enjoy each other and made for a peaceful, pleasant atmosphere. You definitely had a wonderful community.
Thanx Patty, yes I was lucky to work with a dedicated faculty. We were a small school in a very poor innercity neighborhood and those teachers who stuck it out – many like me staying for decades – were those who loved the work and were determined to make a difference in the lives of the kids.
When you are doing an event and have to plan a seating chart, you are forced to put groups together that naturally define various communities, as you wisely point out here, Dana. But not surprisingly, you have found your community with those worked with for so many years – you shared your time with them, your goals, your dreams, your sorrows. And from your photos, we can see you even share reunions. Lovely that you continue to maintain those close ties.
Dana:
I enjoyed your description of the collegial community.
My associations are more with my children , their friends and work colleagues. We often had our daughter’s friends for breakfast, then while in elementary school, I walked them the mile to class. Back in forth we talked about school and what they had learned. We also passed by a local bakery where I celebrated the day with pastry.
We came well known in our neighborhood through these kids.
Thanx Richard!
What a lovely tradition that was – breakfasting with your daughter’s friends and walking them to school!
This is so true, Dana. Boing part of a community of educators is the best! We still keep in touch, even as most have retired.
Yes indeed Laurie, I really do feel my community of teaching colleagues who’ve become dear friends know me best!