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Eric Roston
As part of my administrative duties at school, I supervise loading school buses at the end of the day. I help students find their bus, encourage tardy students to hustle and get on their bus, and deal with behavioural issues that may arise. Luckily, most days go well and, just like the marines, nobody gets left behind. As the buses chug off on their appointed runs, I wave goodbye to the bus drivers and await the students’ arrival the next day for another day of lessons.
The last day of school and last day supervising the buses in June is fast approaching. This time when I wave goodbye, it will likely be the last time that I will see many of the Grade 9 students that I teach. I wonder what will happen to them. Will Devin become an NHL goalie? Will Sarah become the next runway supermodel? Will Kevin become the next great entrepreneur? Will Joe still need his meds three years from now? But what I really wonder is if any of them will remember anything that I have taught them over the past three years. The Renaissance, Canadian history and federal politics will likely be long forgotten by the time they enter high school in September. What will they remember about the time they spent working with me? I hope that at the very least they remember what respect and hard work look like, that they are capable of more than they will ever know and that they are the future leaders.
Will I miss them as they take that last bus ride from the school in June? I will definitely miss some of them. Will I shed a tear? Perhaps, but there’s always July and August to cheer me up. Goodbye, yellow school buses—see you in September.
Eric Roston teaches at Fairview Junior High School, in Calgary.
