**** (Update) Please Leave Comments especially if you had her as a teacher or if she impacted you. Make sure you leave the year you had her. I will post on a later date responding to some of my favorite posts. Much Love!Rita Page
This is my Grandma Page with her last class of students in 2000. She retired at the age of 77, completing her 47-year teaching career. Can you believe that her goal was to teach at the ripe age of 80 to meet her 50th year of teaching? She is the most dedicated woman I have met not only in the classroom but also for her family. I sit here remembering my time as a child growing up ecstatic to visit her in Illinois. My first stop was to her classroom where she had a desk ready for me. Once I was in her classroom I was no longer her granddaughter, I was her student. She would have me read and re-read until I got it, following, "Now give me some sugar.” Give me sugar was what she said when she wanted a hug and a kiss on the cheek. Her students wrote a song for her for her retirement farewell. The lyrics went to the "Sugar, Sugar" melody.
"Give Me Some Sugar"
Sugar, Ah Honey, Honey You Are Our Teacher, Page.
Give Me Some Sugar Is What You Say. Honey,
Ah Sugar, Sugar You Are Our Teacher, Page Give Me
Some Sugar Is What You Say. We Just Can't Believe
What Fun We Had In Page's Class. (We Just Think
It's Been A Gas!) We Just Can't Believe
The Worldly Things You've Taught Us.
(Poetry, Geometry, "Don't Rush!")
(Poetry, Geometry, "Don't Rush!")
Ah Sugar, Ah Honey, Honey
You Are Our Teacher, Page.
Give Me Sugar Is What You Say.
Ah Honey, Ah Sugar, Sugar.
You Are Our Teacher, Page.
Give Me Sugar Is What You Say. When We're
Through With Fourth Grade, We Will
Know So Many Things. (The Whole
Nine Yards And Even How to Sing!) So Many Of
These Things We Didn't Even Learn In Books
(Everything But How To Cook!)
Ah Honey, Ah Sugar, Sugar.
You Are Our Teacher, Page.
Give Me Sugar Is What You Say.
GIVE ME SUGAR!
Man do I miss those days. So I sit here exactly 12 hours before I embark on my journey in the classroom. I can't believe the day is here. This exact day I have dreamed up for 23 years. I would tell her when I was a little girl, "Grandma, I want to be just like you. I want a classroom of my own with students and books. I want them to call me just like they call you Page". To think that the day is here, a day that was only a dream. I remember my first day of student teaching a small child ran up to hug me and said, "Bye Page". It took my breath away to hear those exact words I dreamed about for a lifetime. I had the opportunity yesterday to drop by my empty classroom to drop some stuff off. One being a handmade plaque my grandmother had in her classroom. This is a picture of my mom giving it to me just an hour from graduation. I had no clue she had this. Mom said, "open this it is from grandma." I had such a puzzled look guessing she was talking about her mom. She replied, "Just open it!" I couldn't believe it, it is what my grandmother had in her classroom. Mom had grabbed it when she passed in 2002 and saved it for me for when I had my own. It took a lot of strength to not cry because I was headed out the door.
I had such a sweet moment with God while just sitting on the desks where soon there will be my students. Trying not to get emotional just in case someone walks in. God and I prayed for my class, my students, and strength and wisdom. I just kept telling Him, "God, I can't believe it. I am here. It doesn't seem real. I can't believe I am here." I couldn't say anything else yet he spoke for me. He reminded me of some of the most memorable conversations we have had through out the past couple of years. "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future..." Jeremiah 29:11 Despite my unbelief and difficulty to trust he still is true to his word. He still gives me strength. I am blessed to have such an unconditional, loving, and merciful Father.
Finally, this is the last picture I have of my Grandma and I. This was only months away from her passing. Yet I had no clue. The hardest moment of my life was Christmas that year. We had spent our few weeks of vacation there and were on our way out, doing our usual goodbyes. Not knowing it was a goodbye. She told me seconds before we left for Texas, "Kate, this is the last time I will see you. I love you so very much." Months later she passed. I guess I am typing because I wish she were here with me. I wish she had seen me graduate and walk across that stage and see me walk in my classroom for the first time. I wish I could get her advice about teaching because whatever worked it worked for 47 years. But the beautiful thing about her passing, it was the beginning of my relationship with Christ. I have so many emotions going through me it's like the Forth of July but inside. This post was really for me to get it out. If you did read it though, WOW! and please pray for me. I am so scared about the first day of school. You know when you were a kid at least I would have the nightmare that I went to school naked. Well, they are back now. It's the first day of school all over again. Lol. My goal is to share the love of Christ on these kids. To guide them along on such an emotional time of their life. JUNIOR HIGH. I try not to remember those days. So if you could lift us all up in prayer that would be wonderful. My first official day with them is the 25th of Aug. To God: Thank you so much for being my guidance in this life. It's a scary thought to think where I would have led myself if you hadn't grabbed me when you did. Although, yes you know all! I love you and know that love will continue to grow. I give you my kids, my class, my fears and myself. I love you, O LORD, my strength!
