Hi, is this Miss Colontino?

I had the nicest call after school today. It was a former student. We think she might have been in my second or third class of kids. 

It was so thoughtful of her to call me. She had spent some time trying to track me down and it was such a pleasure to speak with her.  
She's now 23 and she remembers all kinds of funny things from her year in my Grade Five class. Imagine remembering the name of your Grade Five teacher's dog? It was so fun to hear things from her now grown-up perspective. I have to say, I sounded like quite a funny teacher back then. I hope this year's students will track me down in 13 years to report the same.  

Sometimes, as we go on in life, we wonder if we still have that sparkle we once had. I'm certainly not the same teacher or person I was back then but I hope that if she sat down with kids from this year, there would be lots of similar things to share that were loved and appreciated.  

"Miss A" asked me if I still shake the kids' hands and I do. That will never change. It's an important skill and a wonderful way to connect with each child, each day.   

I think there are others things I'll always do too: give out big stickers, tell funny stories from when I was a kid, insist on good manners and try to be the teacher kids call up when they're 23.  

Thanks to Miss A for making this teacher feel very special. That's some "big sticker" you gave me today!