Where do I start? I have a heart full of gratitude for some of the educators I have come across over the span of my lifetime. As I sit here listening to One of These Nights by The Eagles, I am reminiscing on my childhood and how difficult I was in class. (Why that song makes me reminisce I have no clue.) I want to express how exceptional you all were as teachers. There have been a few people other than teachers who greatly impacted my life but today I want to thank and appreciate those few teachers who taught me so much that I hold on to today.
Dear educators,
Thank you. I know I have not always made it easy for you in class but I sincerely appreciate your belief in me. Thank you for your patience and passion for your career.
To Mrs. Vernon, My 1st and 2nd grade teacher, thank you. You have no idea the impression you left on me at such an early age. You were full of love and genuinely cared for your students. You told me that you saw more in me and believed that I could do and be something great. You told me that I was special and I would do great things. Now, you could have told that to every one of your students, who knows. But to me, that meant the world. The fact that woman knew nothing about my life, and I usually gave you a hard time in class, you continued to pour positivity and love into a little girl who didn’t know her greatness.
Mrs. Ferguson, My 3rd grade teacher, I am so grateful for you. You were such a sweetheart. I looked up to you so much. You carried yourself with such grace and poise that made such an impression on an 8 year old. Even when I graduated from your class I would still come to your class and talk to you about the daily troubles of being an 8 year old (Which must have been soooo hard #sarcasm). But, you never dismissed me and told me to go back to my homeroom. Instead you took the time out to listen to me and give my advice. You were the only teacher, in my whole lifetime that I would console in and tell my secrets to, (like how I had a crush on a boy in my class) I felt special and like you cared. And that I mattered. I am so grateful that you took the time out to want me to excel in my school work and personal life.
Mrs. Powell, My 8th grade English teacher, Thank you for being super woman. Thank you for listening and caring for us kids who other people (and teachers) said we were nothing but trouble and wouldn’t be anything. Thank you for taking the time out to actually care if we are understanding the material and not just trying to get through day and care less if we failed or not. Thank you for letting us know that you wanted us to pass and believed that we could if we applied ourselves. Thank you for sharing small tidbits of life with me that I still hold on to today like, “a lady never leaves the house without her earrings,” and also “never act dumb in front of a guy, your better than that.” Thank you for inspiring me and sparking a flame of reading and writing with me.
Ms. Walther, My 12th grade Anatomy teacher, Thank you for wanting all your kids to succeed. You always gave us lectures on how important it is to go to college and never giving up. You always saw more in your students than the inability to understand curriculum. I will never forget what you said to me that stayed with me through those late nights in the library studying. “You have to study, that’s important in college, studying. How do you expect to get anywhere without studying your materials?” Now that I have graduated you were so right! You really wanted us all to do well in life and learn. Not just memorize our school work but KNOW it. Though I honestly don’t remember a lot about the human body and the molecular structures I do remember how great of a person you are and how happy I am to have had you as a teacher.
Most of these teachers I have no idea where they are now. But if you are a teacher reading this, on behalf of all students that were told they wouldn’t be much and wouldn’t amount to anything thank you for seeing more than that in us. Thank you for encouraging us and pouring positivity into our lives. We may not show our gratitude at that moment but just know we appreciate you. Please don’t stop loving your students we sincerely need our educators to let us know we can be more and succeed. Thank you,
Sincerely,
Chloe