On Losing a Colleague

This summer, we lost a colleague and friend after his yearlong battle with cancer. Dave Mehan was a 26 year veteran teacher who devoted the majority of his career to teaching fourth grade. His warmth and humor made him a favorite of students and colleagues alike.

I attended his funeral and while I was not close to Dave, witnessing my colleagues in pain was heartbreaking. Many were by his side as he faced the wretched realities of the disease. I can’t quite imagine going back to school without Dave so I asked myself: How can I honor his memory and carry on his legacy as a teacher? Here is my answer. 

I will make sure that students know that they matter by giving them the space to be fully themselves.

In a recent podcast episode of Kelly Corrigan Wonders, Kelly interviewed journalist Jennifer Wallace on mattering in a modern world. When offering her definition of mattering, Jennifer said: “Mattering is the idea of feeling valued for who you are at your core and being relied upon to add meaningful value back to your family friends and community.”

As a fifth grade teacher, I welcomed many of Dave’s former students into my classroom. I witnessed firsthand the power of his gift to make his students know that they mattered because, as Jennifer Wallace describes, he accepted them exactly as they are.

Two students come to mind when I think of Dave. One is a jokester; an endearing boy who sat quietly in my class perhaps because he knew he could not “get away” with his typical antics. But with Dave, I imagine that he was a different student; more himself. This gives me pause. I can learn something from Dave: giving students the space to be themselves is more important than insisting that they fit into my sense of order. 

The second student is one who I hold close to my heart. This student adored Mr. Mehan and often wore a sweatshirt he had given her. While she showed little enthusiasm generally, her face lit up every time she saw him in the hallway. Not only did he offer her the support she needed in fourth grade, but his sense of humor and fun brought light to a dark period in her life.

While I don’t have many personal memories and interactions with Dave to hold onto, I do have the students whose lives he touched. It is no wonder why he was beloved by so many. Dave truly embodied what matters most in teaching.