I think we've all been impacted by teachers throughout our schooling, and can list many instances when they've taught us something valuable. This week, we're celebrating teachers for their dedication to enrich students' lives!
In honor of National Teacher Day (that’s today!) as well as National Teacher Appreciation Week (May 6-10), OOM bloggers are looking back at memories of their favorite teachers.
I’ll start! I really admired my eighth grade English teacher, who went out of her way to foster my love (addiction, really) for reading. She would thoughtfully bring me extra books when I was finishing books faster than she could assign them in class. She also made sure to have her classroom library filled with titles to suit all her students’ interests, and gave us the best recommendations when it came to ordering from Scholastic Book Clubs!
Brittany S.: I vividly remember how much I deeply admired my teacher in kindergarten. In fact, at the time I wrote her a poem about how amazing she was and she taped it above her desk! I felt so appreciated in that moment and I dreamt of growing up to be a teacher just like her.
Hannah F.: In third grade I used to sneak into the bathroom to read when I was bored in class. I would hide books under my shirt, thinking I was a super spy! One fateful day my teacher, Mrs. Fleishman caught me coming out of the bathroom after I had been gone for a half an hour and scolded me for sneaking out of class. However, she didn’t take my book away and when she called my mother that evening to let her know what happened she couldn’t stop laughing and only said she was thrilled I was reading, but just to let me know that I needed to pay attention in class. She always encouraged my voracious book appetite and I’ll always be grateful for it!
Mackenzie C.: I’m so lucky to have had so many wonderful teachers throughout my education! My fifth grade teacher, Mrs. Badiola, probably had the biggest impact on me though. My fondest memory was after I was selected to read an essay in front all of the fifth grade classes in our district. I hated public speaking at the time, and she helped me practice after school until I was confident. Even that night right before I went on stage, when my nerves began to kick in she reminded to just breathe and that I could do this. The confidence she instilled in me has been invaluable to all I’ve done.
Stephanie A.: My favorite teacher always encouraged writing. She gave our whole class journals filled with blank pages, and every day we had independent writing time, in addition to independent reading time, where we could write stories and poems and let our creativity soar! She also had tons of art supplies, so we could paint and draw in our journals, too. I still have my journal to this day, and it’s fun to look back on my writing from fifth grade. I truly believe that my teacher helped ignite my passion for writing, which lead me on the career path I pursued!
Shara Z.: I still remember dressing up as “twins” with my first grade teacher, Ms. Gartland. We always joked that we looked alike—brown hair, bangs, round glasses and a penchant for pearl headbands—and one day we purposely planned to wear the same outfit and take a photo shoot (she even lent me an extra scarf). I don’t remember much about her teaching style, but I will always think of her as someone who made me feel comfortable, special and loved.
Pictured: Marketing Manager Shara Zaval and her first grade teacher.
