Teachers That Make a Difference

Great teachers deserve the world. They really do. I’ve been able to recognize two types of teachers: The ones who are in their profession for a paycheck, and don’t have the heart for their career, and then there are the ones who love what they do and go beyond their job description. I had some great and not-so-great teachers growing up, but the ones who were disappointing didn’t overshadow the ones that taught me unforgettable lessons, both inside and outside the classroom. Great teachers are the real MVPs. Especially the ones that are built for that particular calling. I have a lot of causal friends who are teachers. I can tell that they love what they do, and take the position seriously. My senior year of high school I entertained the idea of becoming a teacher myself. I even took a teaching course that gave an inside look into what the world of teaching would be like, but, I ultimately choose to take the path of writing. I have no desire to be a teacher, but what’s crazy, is that it could end up being something I do one day. We’ll see. When I think about great teachers that changed my life, there are three that come to mind. My 1^st grade teacher, 4^th grade teacher, and exactly one college professor.

My 1^st grade teacher was patient with me and understood me in a way my Kindergarten teacher failed to. My Kindergarten teacher had concerns that I was too fragile. She was unable to recognize the most obvious thing I was struggling with – being one of the only African-American students in the class (which would continue to be a recurring theme all throughout school). I wasn’t easily embraced by my classmates and didn’t know how to vocalize, “Hey, I feel all by myself. I don’t understand why they won’t sit with me or play with me.” When I got to 1^st grade my new teacher noticed, and she really helped me be okay with who I was. Both of these women were Caucasian, but I think my 1^st grade teacher was able to empathize without easily labeling me. When some of the kids would start to pick with me, she would shut it down real quick. She also introduced me to writing, and was the reason I fell in love with reading and writing for life. Because of her, I was able to discover bits and pieces of my calling at a young age. I still have books that she gave me when I was a little girl. I’ll never forget her.

My 4^th grade teacher was one of the coolest guys ever. He helped me build my confidence and taught me that it was okay to be myself, after the teacher I had a year before him broke my spirit. I didn’t have the best teacher in 3^rd grade. I could tell she didn’t like me much and easily wrote me off. She wasn’t patient when I was having a hard time learning new material. I was almost held back a grade because I was struggling and failing in math and science. Which were two of my least favorite subjects all throughout school, as I much preferred any and everything that had to do with reading and writing. At the time, my parents had a bad vibe about her way before I was failing, and thought about removing me from her class, but didn’t. They probably should have,  but everything ended up working out. I got through it and ended up with a 4^th grade teacher that was intelligent, funny, creative, and super chill. Before I graduated from high school we were able to make contact, and I let him know how much he changed my life. I’ll never forget him.

Finally, there is one college professor. When I first met her I could tell she was way down to earth and super woke. I had no clue that our paths would keep crossing while I was an undergrad. This professor saw me at the start of one of the lowest seasons of my young adult life. When I took another shot at college after a lengthy time out, while working through some personal struggles, she reached out to me even when I resisted – which usually doesn’t happen much in college. She cared about me enough to ask, “You okay?” She also believed in me, encouraged me to use my voice, and challenged me to do my best. College can be hard, but going back to school when it’s been awhile is intense. There were a handful of times when I wondered, “Can I do this?” I underestimated how challenging it would be, but one professor saw my potential and encouraged me along the way. I’ll never forget her.

Teachers, ya’ll are game changers. Your hard work, sacrifices, and unforgettable impact don’t go unrecognized. I salute.