Anti-Aging Cream

Teacher appreciation week was celebrated the second week of May this year. I teach in an elementary school and it seems we do get some creative gifts. The week started off business as usual and I thought I might make it through without having to smile and say “thank you so much” for a bizarre gift given with love from one of my students.

Wednesday, I saw my odd gift in the eyes of my student as he walked excitedly down the hall. Similar to the pace of my toddler anxiously walk-running to the bathroom, I knew he had something he was terribly excited about. I put on my best game face in anticipation of the inevitable “best teacher” gift.

“Teacher Toad! I have a present for you!” And gently he removed the gift from his tattered backpack and with open hands presented his gift, as if presenting me with the key to a city. It was in a pink box wrapped with a single pink ribbon and through the clear plastic window in the box I could see it contained a cosmetic product sample. Upon closer examination I determined the box contained an eyelash curler, small bottle of make-up remover, and a tiny tube of anti-aging eye cream. I put on my best smile and gave my student a big hug. “Thank-you soooooo much! This is exactly what I needed.”

Now, let me fill you in on a little information about myself. Wrinkles are not really on my list of concerns. When I look in the mirror I am not sure I have ever really thought, “wow, I really need to do something about those wrinkles…” As a matter of fact, I don’t even wear make-up. But I guess when the wrinkles do begin to set in, and as a teacher I am assuming that will be sooner rather than later, I will be prepared. Who knows, maybe they already have. Maybe the anti-aging cream was actually a hint.

My gift though amusing did not compare to the gift a fellow teacher friend of mine received this year. She is an ESOL teacher who works specifically with students who have limited English proficiencies. One of her students gave her a beautiful card and a basket of candy. The card said “I am sorry for your loss. In your time of grieving, my thoughts and prayers are with you.” The student asked her to read it in front of the class. Not wanting to embarrass the child, she quickly made something up.

Proving once and for all, we as teachers must be ready to improvise at all times.