School is just about ready to start! There are hundreds of new teachers and educators about to start new careers in Southside VA classrooms. Yesterday I had the pleasure of visiting the Henry County New Teacher Orientation held at Magna Vista High School. They appear to be a very good group of people.
One person I met is Miguel, a Spanish teacher. In speaking with him I found that he has traveled the world and was once a lawyer in his home country of Spain before teaching in the U.S. I don’t doubt that his overall life experiences will make him a wonderful teacher and a favorite among students. Then there was Mrs. Layne, a returning Henry County teacher, who I found looking up at the list of students who have received academic honors over the years. I asked if any of her kids were up there. She proudly said “Yes, quite a few”. Upon finding out that she taught English I told her my story about how I did very poorly in high school English. However, I learned much more about English (and about life in general) from those classes in which my teachers challenged me and made me suffer the consequences of half-hearted work. (Thanks Mr. Raferty!)
There were other teachers I met both new and returning. Magna Vista High School is nestled in a beautiful part of Virginia. They even have a really nice greenhouse where they grow plants and flowers for sale. I bought a lovely Caladium for $2!!!
Here are a few flickr photos from the New Teacher Orientation.
