July 2000

It is difficult to believe that a month has gone by since "I took to the road." The opportunity to speak at Harvard at the prestigious Media and Democracy Institute was overwhelming. Then, having a former student of Mira Costa High School, who now teaches at the Kennedy School of Government, speak the next day, was a wonderful coincidence. I meet my former students everywhere!

It was also an honor to speak before the National Education Association (NEA). The 10,000 members in attendance made me realize how strong we can be as teachers if we ever decide to have a loud, strong voice together.

But one of my most momentous occurrences happened after a speech I had given at the Presidential Scholars Awards luncheon, given for the students who had received these awards and their teachers. Each student was allowed a minute to talk about the positive attributes of her or his teacher, and each said something wonderful. I wish I could have recorded each statement. However, what one student said will remain with me forever. After his adulation about his English teacher, he said, "And most importantly, she taught me that there are worlds in a word."

What a thought for a young person to have. I recalled the 5,000 students I have taught, and I hoped that in those many classroom discussions about a phrase or a sentence, and yes, even a word from great pieces of literature, my students learned that there are worlds of wonder in everything they read. We must never forget our power as teachers to open the minds and hearts of the students we teach. I certainly will not.

Dr. Marilyn Whirry

Check back often to see journal entries from the coming months.

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