Showing posts with label mrs. martin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mrs. martin. Show all posts

Tuesday, April 12, 2016

Happy #74, Mrs. Martin!


Hi, Y’all!

 

So, today’s blog post is dedicated to my former kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Ingrid D. Martin, and it is quite apropos that I talk about Mrs. Martin on account of today is her birthday—she is 74 years young today!

 

Naturally, I called her around 10am CST this morning and left a birthday message on her voicemail, and she just now called me back to thank me for thinking of her. Now, check this out, y’all: Mrs. Martin stated rather emphatically that she’s gonna be there on Sunday, April 24, 2016 to see me receive my Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education… that’s right, y’all—Mrs. Martin is gonna be making a cameo appearance, as well as making her debut in Bearcat Country. As you know, I mailed off the invitations about two weeks ago, and of course I had to send one to Mrs. Martin… and y’all already know that I am just tickled pink about this! Let’s just put it this way: When your former kindergarten teacher goes out of her way to see one of her students graduate from an out-of-state college, you gotta be very special—well, I am very special to Mrs. Martin.

 

Okay, y’all—I had best get going, but y’all take it easy, and I’ll holla at y’all later on. Until next time, y’all take care and be good.

 

Oh, and Mrs. Martin—HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, ONE MO’ GINN!!!

 

 

Hugs & Kisses

Natasha

Friday, December 18, 2015

Thanks for Everything, Carter Elementary!

Well, y’all—the inevitable has happened!


The first semester at Carter Elementary has officially come to pass, and I gotta say: I had a great time with Mrs. Martin and her kindergarten class. I would like to thank Carter Elementary for a wonderful three months. And I know that I’ve said this a lot, but it’s worth saying again: I learned a great deal from both Mrs. Martin and her little kiddies. If anything, the kiddies contributed a helluva whole lot, as they helped me get one more step closer to my goal of becoming the best damn kindergarten teacher in the world. And of course, Mrs. Martin is in a class all by herself—she’s just simply the best.


And I gotta tell y’all: I must’ve done something right again, because Mrs. Martin and the kindergarteners gave me the sweetest little send-off, right in the middle of our Christmas party. They got me a Christmas basket and a big thank-you card with all of their signatures on it. Now, I had to make a promise to the little ones that I would not open my present until Christmas, and I’m gonna stick by that promise. However, I never said anything about their sweet homemade greeting card. I tell y’all, those little kiddies really made me feel special, and I let them know that I would take my card back to Mississippi with me.


And I’m not gonna lie—I kinda wept a little, but that’s only because I was overwhelmed at all the love and appreciation that the little kiddies showed me. Matter of fact, young Henry mustered up all the strength he had and gave me a sweet kiss on the cheek. Of course, I returned the favor, but as a means to be fair, I gave all the little fellas a kiss on the forehead… hahahaha!


Well, now that this chapter in my life is complete, it’s time to prepare for Christmas, and afterwards it’ll be time to head back to Bearcat Country. Speaking of Rust, I got an email from Ruby, and she says that she is counting down the days until I make my much anticipated return. Well, I sure hope they’re ready for me, because I know I am!


Until next time, y’all take care and have a great rest-of-the-day.



Smooches,

Natasha

Tuesday, December 1, 2015

My Official Last Day of My Internship

Hi, Everybody!

Well, here we are—Tuesday, December 1, 2015… and while it’s yet on my mind, I would like to wish my Cousin Calvin a Happy #24 today. That’s right, y’all—it’s Calvin’s big day, and I’ve got a funny feeling that I know what he would like for his birthday… hahahaha! All kidding aside, Cousin Cal, I do hope that all of your birthday wishes come true, especially your one particular heart’s desire. Love ya lots!

So, today is the last day of my internship here at Carter Elementary, and I gotta tell y’all: I truly enjoyed working alongside one Mrs. Ingrid Martin! I learned so much from her lo these past three months. I am really gonna miss these little ones… but then again, it’s not time for me to head back to Rust just yet. And besides, just because my internship has officially completed, that doesn’t mean that the fall semester has ended, especially considering that I’ve already volunteered to help finish out the last couple weeks. Of course, like I mentioned a couple days ago, there’s the added incentive of playing the guardian angel in the upcoming Christmas play. We start rehearsing our parts tomorrow afternoon at around 2pm… and yes, I will be sure to give y’all an update.

Well, that’s all the news I have for today, but I shall holla at y’all tomorrow. Until then, though, y’all take care and be good.


Hugs & Kisses,
Natasha

Tuesday, October 6, 2015

From the Frying Pan and Into the Fire!

Hi, Y’all!

Yes, it has certainly been a good minutes since I last holla’d at y’all, but as I mentioned in my last blog post, business has picked up at Carter Elementary, and I am loving every single last minute of it!

Check this out, y’all: Mrs. Martin has decided that we will take turns teaching the kindergarteners—she will teach on Mondays and Wednesdays, I will teach on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and we will alternate on Fridays. We actually implemented this plan on last Friday. While I loved the idea, I actually suggested to Mrs. Martin that we both share Fridays; she could teach in the morning and I could teach in the afternoon, or vice-versa… and I’ll be doggone if Mrs. Martin didn’t say to me: “I was hoping you would say that, Dearie.”

Great minds still think alike, y’all!

Well, since today was my day… oh, y’all already know what I’m gonna say: I had so much fun teaching the little ones today. My lesson was all about the true meaning of friendship. While I didn’t get too deep into the subject (these are little children after all, but I still didn’t want to give them too much too fast), I like to believe that I taught them what they needed to know at the moment. Of course, I had to mention my peeps at Rust… hahahaha! And why not—I mean, it wouldn’t be me if I didn’t mention Ruby and Azalea (I left Theo and Craig out for a specific reason). Some of the kindergarteners were curious as to which of my friends I liked the most, and I explained that there is no such thing as “who I like the most.” I was quick to point out that I am closer to Ruby than I am Azalea, but that doesn’t make Azalea any less my friend. I further explained that my friendship with Ruby is totally different from my friendship with Azalea, but they are both a huge part of my life, and I love them equally.

I actually marveled with delight when I saw the little ones actually nodding in approval—they understood the little that I gave them, and I was quite thrilled. In fact, I was so thrilled that I looked over at Mrs. Martin, and she simply smiled and nodded.

And yes, y’all already know what I’m gonna say, but what the hell—I’m gonna say it anyway: All of this hands-on experience is helping me reach my goal of becoming the best damn kindergarten teacher in history. I am also aware that I don’t have to be like my Grampa Clark, nor do I have to be like Mr. D, and I definitely don’t have to be like Mrs. Martin, but I can sure take their lesson and examples, alongside with that which I’ve learned at Rust, and I will definitely make my mark in history.

Until next time, y’all take it easy, and I’ll holla at y’all later.
 
 
Smooches,
Natasha

Tuesday, September 15, 2015

Results of Mrs. Martin's Dream Theme

Hi, Y’all!
 
Well, I’m back, and y’all have waited long enough, so let’s get right on down to the nitty gritty.
 
As you may remember from yesterday evening’s blog post, I talked about how Mrs. Martin came up with an idea for a “dream theme,” but she put me in charge of the whole assignment. Now, check this out: Usually, I’m full of ideas and brainstorms, but believe it or not, I was up until eleven o’clock last night, and my mind was absolutely blank—I mean, I ain’t have not nann one idea. I felt so ashamed of myself that I didn’t know what to do.
 
Well, it goes without saying, but the “Dream Theme” was a major success today!
 
After we said our morning prayer and had our greetings and salutations, Mrs. Martin let the kiddies know that I would be teaching for the entire day. As I walked up to the front of the classroom, the little kiddies gave me a sweet applause… and from out the corner of my eye, I saw some half sheets of blank green paper and a small box. Just like that, I received a miraculous idea! Instantly, I handed out the half sheets of paper and asked the little ones if they remembered what we talked about yesterday. When they all said yes, I instructed them to write down their names and what they wanted to be when they grew up, then put their paper in the box when they were done. After the last child placed his paper in the box, I let the kiddies know that we were going to pretend that I was a talk show host and Mrs. Martin would be the camera crew. I promised the little ones that I would interview each and every last one of them, even if we had to use the whole school day to do so.
 
As Mrs. Martin looked on, I pulled a name out of the box and called the chosen child up to the front so I could “interview” them on what they wanted to be when they grew up. All thirty-five darlings interviewed very well, but I gotta be a little partial right here—I got excited when I interviewed Max, mainly because I remember his answer about how he wanted to be rich… and incidentally, Max was the last child (save the best for last indeed). Well, Max explained that he wanted to be rich because his mom’s favorite song is “I Wanna Be Rich” by Calloway, and his mom sings the song so much that he made up in his mind to save all his money when he grew up, just so he can split it with his family.
 
Bless his little heart—I promise y’all that Max is gonna see to it that his dream comes true!
 
Well, with ten minutes left in the school day, my project was complete, and I turned the class back over to Mrs. Martin, who asked the little ones to give me another round of applause. I couldn’t help it—I started blushing, and then I did a bit of a curtsy. Afterwards, Mrs. Martin let the little ones know that their dreams would indeed come true, so long as they keep the faith and hold on.
 
After the dismissal bell rang, Mrs. Martin and I both wished the little ones well, and then she turned right to me and gave me a big hug for a job well done. I thanked Mrs. Martin for the compliment, but I also let her know that I literally thought of that idea at the eleventh hour. She looked at me and said, “But the bottom line is, Dearie, that you persevered to the very end, and that’s what being a real teacher is all about. I could tell that you didn’t have anything planned until you saw that stack of paper, but you played it off so well—you were quick on your feet and you didn’t miss a beat. Plus, you proved to yourself that you definitely have what it takes to be a kindergarten teacher. Kudos to you, my dear.”
 
Okay, y’all—do I really need any more affirmation and confirmation? I mean, it’s all but etched in stone… hahahaha! But seriously, that was really sweet of Mrs. Martin to say.
 
Until next time, y’all take care.
 
 
Hugs & Kisses,
Natasha

Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Let The Internship Begin!

Hi, Everybody!

Well, here it is—Tuesday, September 1, 2015, and I had one helluva great day today!

Let me just cut right to the chase: My first day as an intern at Carter Elementary did not disappoint me one iota. First of all, as soon as I stepped on the grounds of my old elementary school, I was instantly hit with all kinds of nostalgia. Truth be told—so many moments of my days as a kindergartener swept over me like a flood, so much so, that I actually shed a couple of tears. I mean, let’s face it—it was only fifteen years ago that I graduated from Mrs. Martin’s kindergarten class, but here we are—some fifteen years later—and I have learned once again that the more things change, the more they stay the same.

So, upon arriving at Carter Elementary this morning, I checked in with the front office, where Mrs. Martin was right there waiting for me. We shared a big hug, and then Mrs. Martin let me know once again just how excited she was to have me as her assistant. I simply smiled and told Mrs. Martin that I would not let her down.

Well, when we walked into her classroom, I got to chat with some of the parents and the new crop of kindergarteners… and incidentally, I think I have yet another admirer. There’s this one little boy—his name is Henry—he took one look at me, then he gave me a big hug and told his mom that I was “a really pretty girl.” I smiled and thanked the little fella for his compliment, to which Mrs. Martin approached me and said: “That little guy’s found an added incentive to come to school everyday, and you’re it!”

I couldn’t help but laugh, but then again, Mrs. Martin may have a point.

In any event, Mrs. Martin gave her greetings and salutations, welcomed the new students to Carter Elementary, and then she introduced me as one of her “brightest students to ever grace the school.” Seeing as how that was my cue to break the ice, I let the parents and the kiddies know that I sat in those very chairs once upon a time, and I also let them know that Mrs. Martin was the greatest kindergarten teacher that I ever had. I remember saying: “You’ve got a great teacher in Mrs. Martin—she’s kind, loving, and she trustworthy. I think I should give y’all a heads-up, though: Mrs. Martin wants to make sure that each and every last one of you in here succeed, but you’ve got to prove to her that you want it.”

Suffice it to say, I had a great first day of school, and I’m really looking forward to sharing this particular journey with you all, especially considering that this internship counts toward my grade.

By the way, Mrs. Martin gave out her first homework assignment for the 2015-16 school year—each little one has to write one full page on how they spent their summer vacation. Now, check this out: As Mrs. Martin’s assistant, I’m gonna join in on this assignment… hahahahaha! Hey, if I’m gonna be the best damn kindergarten teacher in the world, then I gotta play along. Besides, if the kiddies see that I am having fun with the homework assignments, then they will want to join in as well.

With that said, let me go ahead and get started on my homework. I’ll holla at y’all tomorrow.
 
 
Hugs & Kisses,
Natasha

Tuesday, June 2, 2015

My Meeting with Mrs. Martin

Hi, Everybody!

So, as you can tell by the title of today’s blog post, I spent the entire day up at my old elementary school… and yes, I want to state for the record that I was lookin’ my absolute bestest! I had on a smart violet dress suit with a pastel purple blouse, and just for the hell of it, I wore my fashion faux eyeglasses… hahaha! I asked my mom to take a picture of me, so I could send it to Ruby ‘nim, and of course, my mom hits me with an oldie but a goodie; she looks at me and says, “Tasha, there really ain’t no conceit in our family, because you got it all!”

I just laughed and winked, and then my dad dropped me off to get my internship paperwork situated.

Well, I am happy to announce that the paperwork for my internship is all in order. Seeing as how the first day of school starts on September 1, that’s when I will begin my internship. Now, according to the rules that Rust set, I am to complete a total of fourteen weeks. I just looked at the rest of this calendar year, and I see that my last day is somewhere around the Thanksgiving vacation. No matter—I’ll still have a great learning experience, and I’ll be working side-by-side with Mrs. Martin.

Speaking of Mrs. Martin, y’all already know that she showed me off to her kindergarteners; she even had me introduce myself to the little ones. I guess my Fundamentals of Speech class really paid off, because I talked for a good ten or fifteen minutes, and those little ones hung on to my every word. And of course, every last one of them were shocked when I told them that I sat in those very seats just a little over fifteen years ago. I got a little tickled, though, when this one little girl said that I was old, and then this one little boy looked at her and said: “Shut up, Joycelyn! She’s not old—she’s beautiful!”

I told Mrs. Martin that the little fella was growing up to be quite the heartbreaker… hahaha!

Overall, I had a great visit with Mrs. Martin and my old elementary school. I promised Mrs. Martin that I would be in touch with her in the weeks leading up to my internship. She also told me to keep in contact with Principal Burkes, just as a precaution.

Well, that’s gonna do it for today—I’ll holla at y’all later.
 
 
Hugs & Kisses,
Natasha

Sunday, April 12, 2015

Happy #73, Mrs. Martin

Happy Sunday, Everybody!

There was no way that I was gonna let this day go by without acknowledging a woman who helped shape me into the smart, strong, and sexy woman that I am today… and I’m really trying my damnedest to be modest here (LOL)!

I would like to wish a Happy Birthday to my kindergarten teacher the legendary Mrs. Ingrid Diane Martin. When I spoke with her this morning, she boldly and gleefully announced: “I am a sensational 73 years old!”

That’s right, y’all—Mrs. Martin is threescore and ten plus three, and she’s still teaching kindergarteners up at Guiding Light Elementary School. She shows no signs of slowing down, and she prefers to keep on teaching until she decides it’s time to pass the chalk to her successor, whomever he or she may be.

I know that I have talked at length about Mrs. Martin in several of my past blog posts—and today’s post ain’t gonna be no different… hahaha!

Mrs. Martin is a native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and she is a mother of three daughters (all of whom are teachers themselves), a grandmother of nine, and a great grandmother of five. I am also happy to announce that Mrs. Martin and her husband have celebrating the fiftieth wedding anniversary… oh, and I failed to mention that her husband is a retired college professor from the University of Southern California, having taught Mass Communications for forty-plus years. The last letter I received from Mrs. Martin, she made mention that her husband retired this past December, but decided to come back and finish the rest of this semester, “all because of his love for teaching.”

I know that I’m all over the place with today’s blog post (like that’s anything new), but I just wanted to share a little glimpse of Mrs. Martin with y’all, just so you will know why I admire this woman so much. Like I’ve always said: I am always putting Mom, Auntie Cherri, and Gramma Jewel on a pedestal, but in case, Mrs. Martin deserves her very own pedestal. And coincidentally, especially on this day, Mrs. Martin gets to receive her props!

Once again, I wish you a very Happy #73, Mrs. Martin—love ya lots!
 

Smooches,
Natasha


Wednesday, June 4, 2014

Reunion with Mrs. Martin

Hi, Everybody!

I’m too excited to give a proper introduction—let’s just get into today’s blog post, shall we?
 
You all can probably guess that I had a great visit today with my former kindergarten teacher Mrs. Ingrid Martin, and I gotta say that I was quite surprised to see that I am at least a quarter of an inch taller than her… hahaha! For the record, she actually pointed that out to me. She gave me a big hug, then she said, “Natasha Stewart, you’ve surpassed me by at least a quarter of an inch.”
 
It’s nice to know that I’m finally taller than someone… hahaha!

Well, in my visit with Mrs. Martin, I got a chance to sit in her classroom throughout the entire day… oh, and incidentally, the staff is all new. My old elementary school has a new principal and a new secretary, so it was questionable if I would even get a chance to so much as speak to Mrs. Martin. Well, imagine my surprise when I stepped on the school grounds, and Mrs. Martin walked right up to me and said, “Little Natasha Stewart—you sure haven’t changed!”

Oh, and I also need to point out that Mrs. Martin is the only original faculty member left. She was entering her twenty-fifth year of teaching when I was in her class, and she is two years shy of her fortieth anniversary. And even more so than that, Mrs. Martin she celebrated her 72nd Birthday two months ago. I’ll post our picture at a later time, but Mrs. Martin doesn’t look a day over sixty.

I know that I’m all over the place with this blog post, and I do apologize. I guess it’s the nostalgia of meeting Mrs. Martin all over again, not to mention the fact that she remembered me after all this time. Matter of fact, she even introduced me to her class; she said that I was a “very special surprise guest,” and then she had me introduce myself. Perhaps remembering my Fundamentals of Speech class in my freshman year at Rust, I introduced myself to Mrs. Martin’s class, and I let them know that I sat in the very seats in which they were sitting. I also told them that it was because of Mrs. Martin that I am aspiring to be a kindergarten teacher. And then,the cutest thing: A little boy raised his hand, and like any teacher would, I acknowledged him. He stood up and said, “Miss Natasha, will you come see us at our graduation?”

I looked at Mrs. Martin and smiled, then I said: “Young Man, if it’s in The Lord’s plans, then I will do what I can to be at your graduation.”

Incidentally, Mrs. Martin’s class graduates next Friday. I’ll have to see if I can get someone to give me a ride to my old elementary school, because I kinda do want to see them graduate.

I tell y’all—I am thrilled to pieces that I finally got to meet the inspiration behind my decision to teach… oh, and before I forget, I did tell Mrs. Martin that I would be graduating in two years. Just like old times, Mrs. Martin squeezed my cheeks and said, “Little Natasha, I am honored that you would invite me… yes, I read your mind.”

All I’ve got to say is: Wow!


Hugs & Kisses,
Natasha

Monday, September 30, 2013

That Extra Encouragement from Mrs. Martin, Tho!

Happy Monday, Everyone!

I tell y’all—I feel so damn good right now because I just received a letter from one Mrs. Ingrid Martin!

I know that I’ve talked about her several times in a few of my blog posts—Mrs. Martin was my kindergarten teacher back home, and she was the absolute bestest! I think I told y’all that I wrote a letter to her a couple of weeks ago. Well, imagine my surprise when I read her reply this afternoon and I discovered that she is still teaching kindergarteners; as a matter of fact, this may be her last year teaching. But anyway, in her reply to me, she immediately and emphatically pointed out that she “could never forget little Natasha Renee.” She also said that she couldn’t take all the credit in being the absolute bestest on account of I and my fellow kindergarten classmates helped her to become the absolute bestest.

Mrs. Martin’s letter further stated that she had entered her 25th year of teaching when I was in her class, and it was indeed a silver anniversary moment for her. I was also shocked to read that out of everyone in my kindergarten class, I was the only one who cared enough to write her and see how she was doing. The letter went on to say: “When I saw your name on the envelope, my heart leapt for joy—I was that excited! By the way, your other teachers are a little jealous because I’ve got a letter, but I told them to get over it… hahahahaha!”

Finally, Mrs. Martin closed her reply with these words:

“Natasha, I want you to know how proud I am—excuse me—how thrilled and overjoyed I am that you are following your dream of becoming a kindergarten teacher. I am especially proud to learn that you are academically climbing that ladder. Just remember this, Sweetheart: Dreams do come true, but in His Perfect Timing, and trust me when I tell you—His timing is always perfect. So, I close this letter by saying: Keep up the good work, and most of all, remember to trust in The Lord, because He’s got your back. Oh, and you can write and/call me anytime. Take care, and love you lots.”

Y’all, I am just teary-eyed right about now, and not just because I received a reply from Mrs. Martin, but mainly because she basically said that she’s one of my biggest supporters. Y’all already know what I’m gonna do—I’m gonna have to write her back… heck, I’ve got to write her back anyway on account of I want her to be there when I graduate from Rust.

Well, y’all—that’s it for today. I’ll holla at y’all tomorrow.


Hugs & Kisses,
Natasha