Thank You, Mrs. Ghessi

I still remember my first day of the second grade. I had just moved from California to Pennsylvania and didn’t know any of the other kids at school. The school was being remodeled and looked terrifying—all torn apart and covered in plastic sheeting like something out of a movie. It smelled like cement and new carpet, and I wanted absolutely nothing to do with it. My mom held my hand as she walked me to the classroom, and I remember the surge of panic I felt when she let go. I also remember that as soon as her hand slipped away, another hand took its place. The hand belonged to a pretty, blond woman named Mrs. Ghessi– my second grade teacher.

I think we all have a teacher who is particularly special to us, and who had a huge impact on our lives. Mrs. Ghessi was one of mine.

Mrs. Ghessi was the first person who suggested to me that I might want to be a writer when I grew up. She saw how much I loved story time and how I gobbled up the books on the reading shelf. She noticed how I turned my school supplies into characters with personalities and would tell stories about them to my friends. (My pair of safety scissors was quite the Romeo.)

Mrs. Ghessi taught me how to write my stories down. As soon as I finished one, she would read it and talk about it as if it was the best book she’d ever read in her life, and then she’d ask me for more. She asked what happened next, or she’d ask me “what if,” and then I’d write another story for her.

Just in case you haven’t guessed yet, I’m a writer here at Imagine Learning. I don’t think there’s been a day since the second grade that I haven’t written something down, and as you can see, I’m still telling stories.

Maybe I would still be a writer, even if I’d had a different teacher in the second grade, but I can’t help but think that Mrs. Ghessi had something to do with it. She saw a little seed of passion in me, and she watered it and cared for it until it took root. And goodness gracious, those roots go deep.

I guess this post is kind of my thank you– not only to Mrs. Ghessi, but to all of the teachers and school administrators who are reading this post. Thank you for caring, and for choosing to help children find their ways in the world and reach their potential.

Some day, your students are going to look back and remember you as one of the people who changed their lives.