Paris memories, classes and borrowing Nicholas Sparks

by Susan Palmes-Dennis

There will be people you meet in your life that make imprints on you almost on first immediate contact and they remain in your memories through the days of your life.

I call these special moments changing impressions. Persons we met most of the time defined our character and teach us how to adapt to life. For me there are only a few people that leave such imprints and make life worth living.

I also call these situations as life’s moments. I work as a sub-teacher here at the Carolinas in one of the biggest school systems in the US. As a sub you work in the elementary grades, middle or high school and there are no specific assignments.

It depends on who needs your services in a day. Unless you get lucky you get assigned to one school for a variety of reasons. If it's different schools everyday the challenges are great because you never know what would happen.

But you would always meet new acquaintances and a new environment The disadvantage is on adjusting because you don’t know the place.

Memories of Paris

If you get multiple assignments in one school you would be familiar with the school and the people and you get a sense of belonging. You know what I am saying.

All schools I’ve been assigned to are all great. In one high school (never mind the name I don’t know if there are restrictions) I’ve met a few caring and nice people that make my assignment inspiring.

It was last week when I got this assignment where a male teacher in his middle thirties would always have a smile for me while standing on the front of the classroom as we each greet the students every period.

Later he would check on me if everything was fine and how the class went along.  He shared inputs about the class as relayed by the absent teacher and would give his opinion about it.

I learened that he is French and teaches French as a subject. Mere mention of France brought some memories in a different time when I was in Paris. The teacher's name is Fresse Fabrice.

Fine job

Another teacher in the same school but in a different building is Teacher Nikki Stanton. She's also in her thirties, I think. She has this big voice that she is very effective on sweeping students to classes.

We know that students would rather stay outside if allowed to loiter before class so the school instructed teachers to always be at the hallway reminding/sweeping students to their respective classes.

Ms. Stanton is doing such a fine job sweeping students to the classrooms that just seeing her in the hallway would make students head straight to their classes.

Even while calling out students, she always finds time to call me once she sees me coming. I’ve been assigned to her class several times in the past.

I was then an EC assistant on her class but she would never forget my presence and would engage me in class discussion. At that time I was assigned to her science class and the topic was about the environment.

Museum

Since then she would always check on me also if she sees me at the corridors.

There are many others who are as caring as Ms. Stanton and Signor Fabrice. I would probably write about them in the next blog.

Wait, I still have another recollection. This time it's not a teacher but a lovely woman assigned at the school library. By the way the library is so huge and houses my favorite things called books.

That library I frequent looks like a museum of information and learning. Indeed a place where a brain is put to work if one is interested in absorbing the information and learning from the books.

It was during my planning period that I headed to the library to see what they have in store. My eyes flew to a table near the front row where books are placed vertically, making it easy to read the titles.

The heading says new arrival and one name stood out, author Nicholas Sparks whose book was “The Longest Ride”, one of my favorites. As you can see he became my favorite ever since I stopped reading hard books.

Serene, cool

At my age books of Mr. Sparks qualifies as romantic for me. I think I told you that years before I always equate North Carolina to Nicholas Sparks. He lives here and most of his book settings are located here in Tar Heels.

Now back to that lovely woman. Her serene and cool appearance gave me the courage to approach her. She immediately asked “yes can I help you?”

“I was just wondering if a sub teacher can borrow a book,” I said. She explained that since a sub isn't integrated in the system it would be hard. Next thing she asked “Are you assigned permanently?”

I told her no but said “I work here almost every week and right now I would be here until Friday (it was Tuesday when I talked to her).” Without batting an eyelash, she said why not?

I asked her if she had a copy of the Asian Herald and she said yes. I told her I write for that publication and she need not worry about me losing the Nicholas Sparks book or damaging it.

I borrowed the book on a Tuesday and finished it on Thursday. By the way, the female librarian is named Elaine Anderson.

There are still many people I met and I would share to you my experience meeting them. For now I end this story with the hope that it would be the start of a journal of sorts about my journey as a sub-teacher in the schools here in the Carolinas.

(Susan Palmes-Dennis is a veteran journalist from Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental, Northern Mindanao in the Philippines who worked as a nanny and is now employed as a sub-teacher and a part-time teacher assistant in one of the school systems in the Carolinas.

Read her blogs on susanpalmesstraightfrom the Carolinas.com and at http://www.blogher.com/myprofile/spdennis54. These and other articles also appear at http://www.sunstar.com.ph/author/2582/susan-palmes-dennis.

You can also connect with her through her Pinterest account at http://www.pinterest.com/pin/41025046580074350/) and https://www.facebook.com/pages/Straight-from-the-Carolinas-/494156950678063)