A Teacher's Touch: Reaching Beyond Boundaries

The year was 1971. Nancy Johnson met Lonnie Edwards. For Nancy, a white fifth-grade student, the limitations were physical and emotional. Nubs in the place of fingers hindered activities, lowered self-confidence, and made her the object of ridicule by classmates. For Lonnie Edwards, a first-year Physical Education teacher, the limitations were social. Unrealistic expectations for a novice teacher and a curriculum that didn't allow much creativity added to the challenges presented by being the first black male teacher in a predominately white school in the South. Though differentiated by age, race, gender, and roles, Lonnie and Nancy possessed the same spirit and courage. While Lonnie demonstrated a square dancing maneuver with Nancy, requiring their hands to touch, a life-changing interaction occurred. 'Mr. Edwards' seized the opportunity to teach all of his students not to be afraid of limits imposed by physical or social stigmas. He taught them to reach beyond the boundaries. More than twenty-five years later, Nancy Johnson Miller and Dr. Lonnie Edwards prove how far reaching a teacher's touch can extend.