Read Teddy

I just have to share a real "pick me up" from yesterday, delivered by small hands with a big heart. I have been tutoring Jake, a first grader and now second grader, since April. I work with him two days a week and he has made amazing progress with his reading. He is eager to read and works so hard and is simply a joy to work with. Well, yesterday he brought me a surprise and was so excited about it he told me all about it before I even had it in my hands. He made me a Build-A-Bear called Read Teddy. When you squeeze his little hand he says, in Jake's voice, "Thank you Mrs. Mayer for teaching me how to read". Oh my gosh, it almost made me cry! Let me just tell you what a boost that was following all of the sadness that has been going on lately. It is so cool that even though I'm not in a classroom anymore I can still make a difference and help a kid to read, and even better, to be appreciated for it. I know that all of my teacher friends know exactly what I mean.