Mr. Zartman and My Binders

This is the second time in my adult life I have written about my high school freshman year World History teacher, Mr. Zartman (you can read my first Mr. Zartman essay on Pursestories.com). I guess our teachers really do have an impact on our the rest of our lives.

I was reminded of Mr. Zartman the other day, because I made another binder (this is a very systematized folder with many tabs) . This particular one is for Kelan's cooperative preschool. I serve as the class treasurer in addition to working in the classroom, thus the need to be coordinated. There is a lot of paper associated with Co Op (and actually life now that I think about it), and I can be a little obsessive about organization.

Plain and simple: Mr. Zartman taught me how to make an organized folder (including all the tabs for separate sections). He even graded us on it. I remember thinking back then, what on earth does a binder have to do with World History and who the hell cares what my personal folder looks like. Now I get it. He was helping us help ourselves to be organized so we could learn the material (and of course probably helping himself by eliminating the I can't find it excuse). Additionally, he cared about us being organized - and now I care, because it helps me so much with keeping my kids/life coordinated.

One of my most memorable post school binders was for my volunteer work with the YWCA Leaders in Progress program in 2000 (the name has changed since I volunteered, it is now: GirlsFirst). I committed to one year of service as mentor to two "teen girls who face economic and social barriers to success". In addition, I attended a once a month full day leadership workshop with all the other girls and mentors. I remember receiving so much information that I couldn't even absorb it all so I made a binder. I did not really think anything of it until I went to my first meeting with the other mentors, and they all gasped at my binder! This was a volunteer gig - we already had jobs with tons of work. Since then, my binder became a joke - in a good humored sort of way. Everyone liked the organization of it - but in no way would anyone make one on their own. In fact they all joked that I would probably make binders for the girls that I was mentoring. What a good idea. I did. Everyone in the program was in on the joke. Uh oh, Jeanne's going to make a binder... (I ended up serving on the committee that oversaw this program for several years after my year of mentoring - yep, I made more binders!).

Through my years of working in office jobs (Paineful Webber and the City of Seattle) I have made countless binders - its my organizational system.

Fast forward to my children and the beginning of cooperative preschool. I made a binder as the Parent Coordinator/Board Member for Kelan's first Co Op last year (which I dutifully passed on to the next person in my position). I now have made another one for this year.

I went to the parent meeting the other night - binder in hand - expecting a similar response as I had received at my mentor meeting with the YWCA. What a wonderful surprise - LOTS of binders (with tabs)! Which just translates to me: a lot of organized people. So not only do I enjoy everyone's company (and their children) - it is an incredibly well run (and organized) preschool.

I am not sure where Mr. Zartman is today - it has been about 23 years since I sat in his class. However, to this day, I credit him for my binder. Thank you, Mr. Zartman.