She was a harsh critic. She brought me to tears. Then she dried them. She urged me to forgive myself at the end of each day, that no single thing I could say would break a child... or make a child. Still, she taught me not to be too flippant, that, as a doctor cures what ails the body, I must strive to diagnose the roadblocks to learning. Thanks to her generous advice and allowances, I enter my profession with excitement instead of trepidation, and the understanding that, really, I have no right to indulge in a lack of confidence. It would only interfere with the task before me.

Ismene taught me the basics: Ignoring bad behavior as long as you can stand it. Maintaining quiet lines. How a soft voice can be more effective than a loud voice. Starting out with positive comments to parents before lowering the boom. Waiting patiently for children to answer questions.

She also made me laugh.

"Where's your homework?" she asked a boy.

"Suck my dick," the boy replied.

To everything the boy replied, "Suck my dick." "Suck my dick." "Suck my dick." Every day. "Suck my dick." Ismene ignored it.

Finally, we were delivering the class to gym.

"Get in line."

"Suck my dick."

She pulled him out of the line by his ear. "Come with me, Esme. I need a witness." I followed.

She dragged him into the boy's bathroom. They faced each other. His shoulders lifted and fell in his puffy nylon jacket as he breathed forcefully, indignant about his treatment.

"Drop your pants!" She commanded.

"What! You can suck my dick!"

"That, sir, is exactly what I intend do to."

His mouth fell open with an audible plop. They stood facing each other without moving for an eternity.

At last she spoke. "All year long I've been listening to you: ' Sick my dick! Suck my dick!' Why would you ask for something so ridiculous at school? From your teacher? Either you are completely crazy or you really want me to 'suck your dick,' as you've been insisting. So drop your pants."

"No," the mortified boy quavered.

"Then in the future," she warned in a sinewy, deliberate, almost cheerful growl, "be careful what you ask for. Or a certain old lady just ...might...give it to you." she leaned down and opened both her eyes as wide as they would go and grinned with all her sharp teeth.

I don't know how many weeks it was before color returned to that boy's face. I know he didn't say "Suck my dick" for the rest of the year.

She was my mentor.

I'm confident because I'm prepared.

I will kick pedagogical ass in her memory.