I grew up hearing people ask folks my parents age questions like, "where were you when Kennedy was shot?" "Where were you when Elvis died?"
Unfortunately, my generation now has a "where were you" question to ask.
Where where you 10 years ago today on September 11th?
On September 11, 2001, I was in my classroom, teaching a language arts lesson to my first grade class. Back then, technology was not what it is today and so information was not quite as readily available as it is now. I don't even think I had a computer in my classroom then, so no Internet. Even cell phone coverage in my classroom was spotty.
Another teacher, Mrs. Lewis, knocked on my classroom door and asked if I had heard what happened. I don't remember a lot about what she said but I do know that I didn't quite understand. For some reason, I thought she meant some sort of fighter jets had crashed. While I thought that was tragic, I didn't really understand why she would coming knocking to tell me.
My cell phone rang. Because of the spotty coverage, I stepped out in the hall to answer it. It was my husband of barely 6 months calling. He did not often call during the day since he knew it was difficult for me to take calls. It wasn't until he explained to me what had happened that I really understood. Something horrible had happened. It was more than just tragic as I had previously thought. This was scary.
Being that I worked in an elementary school full of minds too young to really be able to understand what was going on and why, and us as the teachers and adults, not really prepared to explain it yet, being as most of us didn't really understand it either, there was not a lot of reaction school wide, even though the school was on lock down. They did turn on TVs in the cafeteria and tried to turn them away from the students, so the teachers could watch the news as it unfolded.
We were to continue our day as normal. We were not to tell the students anything that had happened. We were to try to remain calm. It was really difficult to concentrate on anything for the rest of the day. I'm pretty sure my students didn't do a lot of learning that day because I didn't do a lot of teaching.
There were some parents who came to the school to check out their kids early. The phone lines we burned up with other parents calling, wanting to be reassured of the safety of their kids.
There was a heavy feeling of "oh my gosh" in the air. I didn't know anyone in New York or D.C. or on a plane for that matter. I knew all my loved ones were safe. But that didn't take away the eeriness and the heart thrumming anxiousness of the day. And it seemed to get worse and worse. It was a nightmare.
Later that evening, my husband and I gathered at our church along with many others, to pray for our country, for our leaders, for the injured and for the families of those who lost loved ones. It was a very somber event.
It was a day I will never forget.
Where were you?
Unfortunately, my generation now has a "where were you" question to ask.
Where where you 10 years ago today on September 11th?
On September 11, 2001, I was in my classroom, teaching a language arts lesson to my first grade class. Back then, technology was not what it is today and so information was not quite as readily available as it is now. I don't even think I had a computer in my classroom then, so no Internet. Even cell phone coverage in my classroom was spotty.
Another teacher, Mrs. Lewis, knocked on my classroom door and asked if I had heard what happened. I don't remember a lot about what she said but I do know that I didn't quite understand. For some reason, I thought she meant some sort of fighter jets had crashed. While I thought that was tragic, I didn't really understand why she would coming knocking to tell me.
My cell phone rang. Because of the spotty coverage, I stepped out in the hall to answer it. It was my husband of barely 6 months calling. He did not often call during the day since he knew it was difficult for me to take calls. It wasn't until he explained to me what had happened that I really understood. Something horrible had happened. It was more than just tragic as I had previously thought. This was scary.
Being that I worked in an elementary school full of minds too young to really be able to understand what was going on and why, and us as the teachers and adults, not really prepared to explain it yet, being as most of us didn't really understand it either, there was not a lot of reaction school wide, even though the school was on lock down. They did turn on TVs in the cafeteria and tried to turn them away from the students, so the teachers could watch the news as it unfolded.
We were to continue our day as normal. We were not to tell the students anything that had happened. We were to try to remain calm. It was really difficult to concentrate on anything for the rest of the day. I'm pretty sure my students didn't do a lot of learning that day because I didn't do a lot of teaching.
There were some parents who came to the school to check out their kids early. The phone lines we burned up with other parents calling, wanting to be reassured of the safety of their kids.
There was a heavy feeling of "oh my gosh" in the air. I didn't know anyone in New York or D.C. or on a plane for that matter. I knew all my loved ones were safe. But that didn't take away the eeriness and the heart thrumming anxiousness of the day. And it seemed to get worse and worse. It was a nightmare.
Later that evening, my husband and I gathered at our church along with many others, to pray for our country, for our leaders, for the injured and for the families of those who lost loved ones. It was a very somber event.
It was a day I will never forget.
Where were you?
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