Cynthia Locke Henderson

Promise Teacher Cynthia Locke Henderson

This book documents the struggles of a 5th grade class of students whose teacher told them she has cancer. This teacher was close enough to them that she even taught some of their parents when they were in the 5th grade. No one walked away from this ordeal without being changed. The impact of that disclosure sent a chain reaction through the class and in the school and significantly impacted their promotion ceremony to middle school. During this ordeal, the students ran multiple substitute teachers away. Additionally, suspensions and consequences for non-compliance were added to the student's efforts to study for a major standardized test. These students brought tears to the eyes of the administration, teachers, their parents, and themselves.