I have been the executor of a few trusts set up for daughters and other relatives in my life. I say that to indicate that I have had some experience in receiving sizeable checks to post into my checking account and dole out for college and other trivial life experiences.
Today was an eye opener.
I went to the branch of my local bank that is closest to where I work in order to deposit a rather large check into my account to help a family member with college expenses. I don’t like this branch of the bank. The reason is simple. When I go to the drive-in window I get my checks cashed, but it does not matter who the cashier is, I do not get spoken to. My check is cashed correctly. Deposits show up in my account on time. But there are rarely smiles and never a word spoken. It is depressing.
But, it was on my way to somewhere else I wanted to go, so I stopped and went through the drive through. I was expecting rudeness, but I did not expect my deposit to be rejected. Because it was a trust fund check, the lady explained, I had to deposit it into an account with both my name and the other person’s name on it.
Now, I’ve been cashing these checks for over five years, and I have never experienced this response.
So I did what any red-blooded, angry American would do. No, I didn’t flip her off. I went to the branch I like.
At the branch across town I get greeted by smiling tellers. They speak to me when I walk through the door. Everyone smiles, and everyone greets. I feel the love. They deposited my check with no problem. I got an explanation that the funds would not be available until the check had been vetted, and I was okay with that. Within 2 minutes I was out of there.
As I drove away the thought crossed my mind that our classrooms are often like this. Some teachers are sticklers for the rules. Everything has to be exactly their way, or students suffer. There is no room for negotiation, compromise, or creativity when it comes to assignments, grades, behavior, or any other of a long litany of items one could list.
And then there are the other teachers. The teachers that smile and serve students even if what they’ve done isn’t exactly kosher. The teachers that make students feel welcome as soon as they walk through the door. The teachers that get Christmas cards from students five years after they’ve left the school.
I know what bank branch I want to go to.
Students know what teacher they want.
Enough said.