Starla Gresham attended the Conway public schools, became a teacher, taught first grade for ten years, and then had the opportunity to join the Gifted and Talented (GT) team. As the ‘thinking teacher’ at a Conway elementary school, Starla spends one period every week with each K-4 class, and 2-1/2 hours per week with selected third and fourth graders in the Pinnacle program. Her class work includes projects like building something from a bag of trash and writing about it, or an extended version of twenty questions to untangle riddles like: ‘The baseball champions scored 12 runs but not a single man crossed home plate.’ (I guessed it was a woman’s team; in Starla’s riddle all the players were married). Starla has written a book on Creative Problem Solving and loves writing curriculum to help other teachers.

After visiting so many teachers who are disenchanted with our educational system it was a joy to spend time with a devoted teacher who still loves her work. Though she did say, “I’m glad not to have a regular classroom anymore. The restrictions on classroom teachers are so great these days.”

Consistent with her rigor, Starla investigated my website and prepared a response to my question as suggested by one of my earliest posts. Interestingly, even a GT teacher who specializes in riddles rephrased my question to the first person singular. That word ‘we’ is an uncomfortable one for most everyone.

How will we live tomorrow?

How will I live tomorrow? Should I make this personal? I’m very much a “Pollyanna Positive” I see the glass completely full as opposed to ½ empty J

At this time my heart is very heavy as I watch my mommy disappear a little at a time each day. Alzheimer’s is such a cruel disease. This amazing woman did everything right, exercised every day, ate only healthy food, participated and taught bible studies on almost a college level, raised 4 wonderfully exceptional children almost single handily. (Dad was a traveling salesman) And now she’s forgotten how to brush her teeth. Every day when I go see here there is still that little sparkle in her eye when I walk in. My prayer is that the God she was so faithful too her entire life will take her by the hand “HOME” before that spark is completely gone. I live tomorrow with that hope and enjoy every second I have with her. Blessed!

I LOVE my job – I could stay home and make just as much money – but it’s not about money in the least! I LOVE my job! After 35 years I can’t see stopping. I will live tomorrow blessed to touch the lives of SO MANY innocent children (some stinkers) but where else can you work and feel like a super star when you walk in a room – kids waving arms, smiling, yelling Mrs. Gresham, Mrs. Gresham. Blessed!

Precious Baby Son – 500 words just aren’t enough! What an amazing son I’ve been blessed with to be a part of my life. I will live tomorrow watching him work so seriously on his Pharmacy degree. He takes the responsibility of helping so many people with such dedication, I will live with ride in my heart that I can call him Precious Baby Son!

How will I live tomorrow – hopefully making a difference in the people I come in contact with every day? My family knows I would do anything for them. My students know I’m always there for them. We have SO MUCH FUN – they don’t always realize they are learning. Blessed to have the freedom to freely worship my Heavenly Father. Just trying to be the best person I can be.