Thursday, January 5, 2017

What kind of educator am I?



Kindergarten: Aunt Olga and Miss Addie Bell
1st grade: Mrs Kidd
2nd grade: Mrs Gwin
3rd grade: Mrs Rollins 
4th grade: Mrs Farley 
5th grade: Mrs Wallace and a move to another state with changing classes with Mrs Craig, Mrs Bobo and Mrs Seymour
6th grade: Mrs I O'Neil, Mrs M O'Neal, Ms Anderson
7th grade: Mr Thompson, Ms bowman, Mrs Popp, Mr Jackson, Ms Davis and I had at least four more teachers I can't remember their names
8th grade: I literally can't remember a single teacher's name or at least can't define which Year they taught me in middle school except for Mrs Benefield 
9th grade: Ms Jackson, Mrs Kissinger, Ms Windham, and several others I can't remember their names 
10th grade: Mr Copeland, Señor Rosa, Mr Faulk, Ms Knipp, Mrs Pendergrass, Ms Dedmon, and more I can't remember 
11th grade: Coach Napolitano,  Coach Tate and I can't remember any others
12th grade: Coach Underwood, Mrs Pendergrass, and I can see faces but no names are coming to me. 

Granted it's been 30 years since I graduated from high school and for many years I can name every single teacher and what they taught me. But I can't now. Can you? Better yet can you figure out why the ones you can remember stand out to you? Why do you remember their names? For me, it's either because: 
A. they were very good teachers
B. they were very bad teachers
C. had some other connection with them 
D. I had them as a teacher more than once or I spent more time in their classroom for some reason

I think about myself, being an educator now for 14 years and I wonder how many of the students that I have remembered me, and why would they remember me? And better yet are they good memories? Did I make learning enjoyable for them? Did I push them to be better? smarter? more driven? Did I show kindness? Did I say something funny that just stuck? 

As I look forward while thinking backwards and living in the present (yeah wrap your head around that) I want to be a teacher, a leader, a resource that makes a positive impact on others and leaves a legacy of lifelong learning desires in the hearts I teach. I hope I am remembered as a passionate educator.

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