School Pictures

The Rodriguez family walks down the hall and turns the corner to my classroom for a parent/teacher conference.

“Buenos dias Señora Rodriguez. Buenos dias amigos. ¿Como esta ustedes? Bienvenido a mi aula,” I greet them.

We sit down together at a table in a circle of chairs.

“Could you translate for me if I need help remembering a word?” I ask the oldest child, a high school student. “I need you to be my teacher.”

“Sí,” she smiles. “Of course.”

I’m trying to learn Spanish but have a long way to go to become fluent.

In the beginning, I do most of the talking and Mrs. Rodriguez does most of the listening.

I describe her child’s progress in math.

“Do you have any questions for me?” I ask. “Do you have any comments you’d like to make?”

She looks at me with a shy smile and stays quiet.

I move on to reading, writing, social studies and science.

At the end, though, she does most of the talking and I do most of the listening.

“Our life is hard, maestro. My husband works out of town, wherever he can find work,” she said. “I clean motel rooms and houses. Are trailer is small and we are many. I want my children to learn so they can have a better life. Please help my children learn.”

This is how my heart grows bigger.

It grows bigger because Mrs. Rodriguez and I sit down with each other. 

We talk with each other. 

We see each other.

I simply saw her as a parent who trusts me to be a teacher for her child.

I simply saw her as a mom who cares deeply for her children, just as I am a dad who cares deeply for mine.

I simply saw her.