 | | | Top row: Cameron Bell, Rachel Cleak, Deena Duffy, Alyssa Huberts, Allison Kneis, Michael Lucacher; second row: Meghan Ringer, Camden Wicker, Ashley Wong, Lelyanne Zeidan; front row: Barbara Elliott, Laura Olson Photo Sophie Braccini
| | | | | | This June, 3rd grade teacher Barbara Elliott will attend graduation at Campolindo High School. The Class of 2010 is very special to the Camino Pablo Elementary (CP) teacher -some members of this graduating class were in her very first class at CP; she remembers every one of them, and she wants to be there to congratulate them.
"There were only 16 children in that class," said Elliott, "we had a very good dynamic, it worked really well." Elliott recalls being a little nervous coming to Moraga from Penngrove in Sonoma County; she had been told by the principal that parents could be demanding. "I was surprised by how motivated the children were," she remembers, "Even in 3rd grade they knew where they wanted to go to college and they valued education."
When she met with ten of her former students for a picture, the soon-to-be-grads recounted memories of their third grade year with Elliott. "I remember the Native American play, and Cameron got the part I wanted," said Deena Duffy. "I remember the rock project, and we had to tell what we already knew about rocks and what we wanted to learn," said Alyssa Huberts. "I remember the community circles, where everyone discussed things happening in the classroom," recalled Allison Kneis. "I remember the book we did on multiplying by 9," said Meghan Ringer, and the girls started singing a song they had learned about multiples of 8.
Elliott had a lot of memories too. "You never did any of your homework!" she said to Cameron Bell, with a smile. "And you always did the minimum on your assignments," she said to Michael Lucacher. She also remembered how Vincent Nucera always wanted to go a step further in math.
As the students prepared to leave, they acknowledged their teacher for the difference she made in their lives. "I remember what we did on the rain forest and I want to become a rain forest explorer," said Rachel Cleak. "You saw potential in me, even if I didn't do my homework," said Cameron Bell.
Laura Olson, Elliott's teaching assistant then as now, was very happy to see the students again. "They have changed a lot," she noted, "but they are as cute now as they were then; it is wonderful to see them so happy and ready to embark in the next phase of their life.
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Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA