Straight From The Heart - Remembering Lisa LeBaron Tucker

There are teachers who teach because it is a job; they like the steady paycheck, insurance benefits, and vacation time.  Then there are teachers who teach because it is a calling.  They talk about how much they love their students and how excited they are for the unit they are studying (or about to study).  My cousin, Lisa LeBaron Tucker was the latter.  As a Kindergarten teacher, she was living out her life’s calling when, two weeks ago, her life was suddenly cut short.

Lisa LeBaron Tucker. Cousin. Friend. Teacher

I had been planning since early November to write a blog post about how teaching Kindergarten was the toughest job in education.  I spent some time talking to Lisa about my idea. Much to her embarrassment, she was going to be the focus of the piece.  I was going to interview her about the trials and joys of teaching Kindergarten, what I consider to be the toughest teaching assignment in education. She had given me permission to get pictures off her facebook page of her “in action.”  I was still working out the story details in my mind; writing the actual story was one of those things I planned to do when I had time, and like so many things in life, it got put off till “later.” Neither of us imagined that a mere few months later she would not be alive to give me the interview I was planning. 

Though Lisa’s physical heart stopped beating, the heart of who she was as a teacher was evident this weekend when we buried this vibrant, enthusiastic, loving woman.  By the world’s standards, Lisa didn’t lead an extraordinary life –she was a just Kindergarten teacher living and working in a small town – but as was evidenced by the number of people in attendance at her funeral, her life, her heart for others touched many. 

Lisa ALWAYS dressed up for Halloween! Here she with a student

For me, part of Lisa’s legacy is to show the influence and impact teachers can have when they care, when they love, and when they teach with their hearts as Lisa did.   

It is so easy for teachers to burn out and become cynical.  So often it feels like everyone from politicians to parents and the students are against your every effort to do not just a good job, but to do more and be better every class period.  Society’s mandate and expectation for teachers is to do more than teach content, we are to “INSPIRE” our students; yet our goals shift with numerous educational trends, each based on the changing political winds that shift with each voting year.  It’s so easy to get discouraged and to lose heart.

Another Halloween Carnival - Another Costume!

But Lisa’s passing has reminded me that teaching is ALL about the heart.  

What it isn’t about is the latest curriculum debate or which instructional techniques are the best to use. It’s not about “Common Core vs. No Common Core,” or “TAPPLE,” or “Data Driven Assessments,” or “Lock-Step.” Teaching is about the students and reaching their hearts.  Lisa knew that; Lisa did that with all of her heart. 

On a poster board at her funeral was letters to Lisa from her students, about what they will remember most about her. Their memories were simple, sweet, basic: her laugh, her smile, the way she made them feel special, how much fun she was, her pretty clothes, the time she helped them read, or when she braided their hair.  I was reminded that 20 years from now my students won’t remember what a great lesson plan I had, or how I used various teaching strategies (or even what my teaching strategies were).  What they will remember is if they felt like, at least in my class, they were safe, and loved, and liked and accepted for being who they are. 

Lisa was the teacher I want to be: teaching from the heart to the hearts of students.

Lisa's Beautiful Family