Special teacher-student relationship spans across generations
Published: June 27, 2005
Charity told Freeman: “Uh-uh. You can’t retire yet. You have to wait until Landon is in your class.”
And this year, 8-year-old Landon Davis is.
Having her child in Freeman’s class means she sees her former teacher more often. Freeman will remind Charity of how she and her third-grade “boyfriend” would hold hands behind their backs.
“You want to think `she just remembers me.’” Charity says. “But it’s everybody, everybody in the class.”
To Charity, who Freeman remembers as “full of life, happy and cute as a button,” her teacher will always be “wonderful and amazing.”
Landon thought that because his mom and teacher were friends, it would be easy. He was wrong.
Charity says he has improved in his reading and writing, and though he gets angry with the teacher sometimes, “he loves her.”
It’s clear from an illustrated timeline that tracks Landon’s life as part of a history lesson that he also loves baseball.
Just like his Uncle Jason.
Jason Stowe, 35, lives in Raleigh, N.C., now. From childhood through college, being a baseball player was his life. “It’s all I ever wanted to be.” He shared his dream with his third-grade teacher, who could throw stats right back at him.
While driving his own three children - Savannah, 5, Olivia, 4, and 7-week-old Walker - to the beach recently, Jason thought about his days in Freeman’s class.
The most vivid memory for teacher and student involves a year-end talent show and a Big Wheel. Jason rode it into the classroom in front of an audience of parents.
At get-togethers with his two sisters, Jason says - and mom confirms - there’s friendly fussing about who was teacher’s favorite.
The argument is over before it begins, Jason says: “I know I was.”
Freeman finds little boys spirited, not rowdy. She finds something special in every child she teaches.
One of her last class assignments this year asked for a short story about “The Runaway Monkey.”
Freeman smiled as she shared one girl’s funny, fantastical tale of a monkey who wore a dress to hide with a family - and made banana shakes for everyone.
With pride, she told of one boy who had trouble writing three sentences at the beginning of the school year. “Today, he handed in a three-page story.
“See what you can accomplish in a year?”
When Freeman learned to read, she started teaching her younger sister and two brothers. Her teaching degree led her to Beverly Woods in 1971, where she found a home after an interview with principal Deanie Crowell, an accomplished educator who died last year.
“She was so supportive and encouraging,” says Freeman.
So were PTA members, who, Freeman says, “worked hard to make sure anything the school system didn’t give us, they did,” from class supplies to a pair of shoes or glasses for a child in need.
“I’m lucky to teach at Beverly Woods.”
Current principal Nancy Hicks thinks Beverly Woods is the lucky one.
“She’s a dedicated professional who sets a tone of excellence,” says Hicks, who’s been at the school five years. “She will not let a child fail.”
Freeman’s first years teaching weren’t easy. Charlotte communities and races that lived apart were brought together - not always smoothly - by court-ordered school busing. Beverly Woods in south Charlotte was paired with Boulevard Homes in west Charlotte, and the children, with Freeman’s guidance, learned from each other.
“Mrs. Freeman was always just Mrs. Freeman,” says Stephanie, “just a teacher we loved.”
Today’s talk about Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools’ secession into smaller school districts disturbs someone who has devoted her life to its students. “We should be meeting and figuring out what we can do to help fix the problems,” Freeman says.
On her own wish list is more mentoring for younger teachers, something she needed at the start and practices now. “All children need to see minority teachers; they need to see the role models.”
Looking back over 34 years, Freeman says she never wants to meet a child she has taught and not have that child remember something positive.
Cue the Stowes.
Freeman has taught lots of brothers and sisters. At Beverly Woods, she even taught her own children.
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The Treehouse : Eccentric Wisdom from My Father on How to Live, Love, and SeeBut her teaching has crossed generations just once.
About the woman who is now a part of her family, Brenda Stowe says: “My heart feels so big for her.”
Charity is worried. Who will teach her 5-month-old twins, Morgan and Dustin?
Freeman has promised that she will return for their school story-time.
One more favor for the family, Charity thinks.
Observe the scene in Room 118 at Beverly Woods Elementary, and you know the reason why Carletta Freeman will be back.
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