There is only one good reason amongst the negatives I will remember third grade, and that reason is Ms. McArdle. She effectively taught things I won’t ever forget. She taught me how to be myself and how to use cursive and even how to multiply. Without her there through the year, I don't know what I would have done.
A.E Burdick, a small school with a brick square structure and three floors each separated by grade. I was new and it was the first day of third grade. I got a haircut a week prior and decided to spike my hair, I must have thought this would get me friends. She was tall and had long blonde hair. She greeted us with a smile then directed us to our seats. From then on, I knew this was going to be a fun year.


Ms. McArdle used games and activities to teach us what we would consider basic principles today. For times tables, we would sing a tune to the number it was multiplied by up to ten. Quite embarrassingly, it’s a method I still use to this day. She would always have former
students of hers to come in and help the class out, or just observe because they loved the class. The thought of that is bewildering to me, they liked her teaching so much that they came back to school. But now that I think about it, it doesn't seem so bad. Sometimes she even brought in her dog. I guess these are the perks of living right across the street.



My dad would often come in to help me out because he got bored or something like that and Ms. McArdle was totally ok with it. I believe the one thing that sets Ms. McArdle apart from the rest was the personal relationship we had. I felt like she was my only friend and at times another mom.
When my father passed away later that year and, came to the funeral among the masses of people. I don't think I will ever forget the face of her actually caring about me. That is why my third grade teacher Ms. McArdle deserves this award. There needs to be more teachers like her.