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Discuss a teacher who had a positive influence on your life. What did he/she do that was influential for you?
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I had a teacher who was horrible in 2nd grade. I was in a 2/3 combination so I did all the 2nd and 3rd grade work so I wasn’t bored. It was then that I started teaching the 3rd graders how to do their math and it was great. I later helped with my other teachers and so it was a very positive experience from a not good teacher.
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My high school physics teacher was the main inspiration for my path to teaching. He always took my questions seriously and answered them fully. Also, when he answered other student questions, I always learned from his replies. He shared his hobbies and personal events in his life. He was one of the first teachers who treated me like an adult and expected me to interact with him like an adult.
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While I did not have the privilege of growing up in a Christian school, I still had a few teachers that had a positive influence on my life. My third grade teacher, Ms. Luden, is one I remember fondly. There isn’t anything super specific other than the fact that I knew she cared about me. She was kind and gentle and I felt safe with her. In high school my band teacher had a positive influence over me. He made us feel very much like a family. He was very relational with us and it felt like he really did like us. He was one we always knew we could go and talk to and he would understand and be helpful. I also had a high school guidance counselor that was a great listener. He also made me feel like he was genuinely concerned about my welfare as he helped me navigate the woes of being a teenage girl.
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My 10th grade history teacher continues to leave a lasting impression on me. She always found ways to connect and encourage us. She would share experiences she had and how they related to the lesson, which made the lesson come alive for us. She always had extra information and facts that went beyond the lesson. A subject that otherwise might have been boring, was very intriguing. Most importantly, she invested in each one of us. She was sincere, interested, and encouraging. She spoke to us individually and asked questions about things we enjoyed. She mailed me a hand-written letter at the end of the school year, which included pictures she had taken of myself and classmates; (she included a very kind note that she wrote about me for my parents as well). Even though we were in a public school setting, she was able to share the love of Christ without words, but with her behavior.
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My sixth grade teacher was Mr. Crane and he was amazing. He was super strict, had high expectations and creative activities. I remember our course doing a creative writing unit. If we did well enough, he would enter our stories in district level competitions. Those who did well could also attend a special workshop held at another school. I worked so hard because I wanted to be one of those two students selected from my school, and I did it. Mr. Crane along with the other 6th grade teacher, who happened to be his sister, created/used a game called Math Baseball. We had teams of 5 players and we would compete every Friday afternoon. The pitcher would throw out math problems and the batter and catcher would race to answer the fastest. I never worked so hard to learn all my math facts. He made learning so fun. He really motivated all students to learn on their own so that we could participate and compete in all the fun activities. His teaching really influenced me in breaking down barriers that I had built regarding my opinion of myself and my learning. Before grade 6, I thought I was not smart and couldn’t learn as fast as other students because I was dyslexic and had troubles reading. He showed me that I could learn with hard work. He set me on a path of lifelong learning. I wish that I could find him and tell him how much he helped me.