Starfish by Kate Emery General

One day, an old man was walking along a beach that was littered with thousands of starfish that had been washed ashore by the high tide. As he walked, he came upon a young boy who was eagerly throwing the starfish back into the ocean, one by one. Puzzled, the man looked at the boy and asked what he was doing. Without looking up from his task, the boy simply replied, “I’m saving these starfish, Sir.” The old man chuckled aloud, “Son, there are thousands of starfish and only one of you. What difference can you make?” The boy picked up a starfish, gently tossed it in the water and, turning to the man, said, “I made a difference to that one!” -author unknown

The 2023-2024 academic year is coming to an end for me this Friday. Last August, I was trusted with five precious five year olds in my first kindergarten class in my new school. We became a very tight-knit family for six hours a day, five days a week. My class is now graduating to first grade in the fall and the anticipation of the newness and unknown of it all is palatable. Knowing that our time together is getting shorter, my students have been pausing in their work several times a day now to give me a very tight hug/squeeze, holding on a bit longer each time. We’re all feeling the impending loss of each other.

Testing is complete and I have digital proof that my students have not only met State goals, but have achieved and excelled over these nine months. It’s gratifying to see growth and be the primary person responsible for a child’s learning. Teaching is my passion, I love learning and sharing that with others.

I began my teaching life at Head Start as an intern during my sophomore year in college. I was tasked with developing an at home reading program for toddlers and their families. I still remember the joy of shopping for children’s books, reading the books to children in their homes, and then giving the book to the child. Our simple study showed language growth amongst the children who were read to each day. By the end of my internship, many of the children were reciting some of their favorite parts of these books.

My first challenge this year was finding and developing that spark and love of reading in my students. It simply wasn’t there, in fact a couple of children absolutely hated being read aloud to. It has become the norm for a child of this generation to fall asleep at night clutching a tablet. Parents reading to their child after tucking them in their bed is rare these days.

In an effort to get our students to read books, our school began a D.E.A.R. program (Drop Everything and Read); children are read to or read for twenty minutes a day. D.E.A.R. is a national celebration of reading designed to remind families to make reading a priority activity in their lives. Studies have shown that children who are read develop the ability to think, explore, problem-solve, and expand their memory. Reading can improve children’s imagination and creativity. Reading can help children develop their attention and concentration, which can help them sit still for longer periods of time.

I can’t say that every student in my class came to love books this year, but they all sit quietly now during storytelling and each of them has actually discovered a couple of favorite books.

As teachers, we are a bit like the boy in the starfish story, helping one student at a time. Taking care of each one we come in contact with and hope they will do better, grow up, learn more, and try something new.

Kate Emery General is a retired chef/restaurant owner who was born and raised in Casper, Wyoming. Kate loves her grandchildren, knitting, and watercolor painting. Kate and her husband, Matt are longtime residents of Cambridge’s West End where they enjoy swimming and bicycling.