I remember always paying close attention to all my teachers as I was in Elementary school. Not really as to what they were teaching but how they taught. I paid attention to their teaching techniques and how they treated their students and what it is that the students liked and disliked of their teachers.
Ever since I first started school, I always wanted to be a teacher. It used to be the one thing I was 100% sure I would be doing as an adult. Something about teaching just caught my attention. All the fun activities you can do while teaching, knowing you have the chance to make a huge impact on a kids life, being able to teach way much more than just book work, but about life itself.
I’ve had great teachers and not so great teachers-just like anyone else. The great ones, the ones that really cared, were the ones that inspired me the most. Especially in fourth grade, where one of the best teachers I’ve ever had, showed me that teachers have way much more than just a college degree. They have a heart and they care about their students.
Ms. Ponce. She was everything a good teacher would be described as. Her class wasn’t ever boring and she always tried her best to teach us the best way she possibly could so that we could understand the material.
You might think little kids in Elementary school might not know how to appreciate things and people because they’re too young to understand…but I did. I’ve always had family problems growing up. Always. Unintentionally, I often brought them in to class. It surprised me when she asked me to spend lunch with her in the classroom one day. She asked what was wrong and with out even thinking, I poured out almost all my life to her. I cried. Even as a nine year old, my past wasn’t a good one and she understood. Ms. Ponce spoke to me her advice and her opinions and I knew by the look in her eyes, that she wasn’t just a teacher. She was so much more.
Until this day, as a freshman in High School, I still keep in contact with her. Just last year, she was at my eighth grade graduation. I appreciated her presence enormously. Especially because it was about an hour and a half hour drive to where I was then living to get there. That night I promised to invite her to my High School graduation as well; she promised to make it.
Now, for everything I do to try to be successful in life, I do it for me, my parents and for her…Ms.Ponce. Because she saved my life as a child. All because she took a couple of minutes out of her time to listen to what I had to say. In my heart, she will forever deserve praise and in my heart, she will forever stay.
When entering Middle School, I began to be interested in so much other careers then teaching. Such as acting, writing, producing and directing. Teaching was now at the back of my mind. Until this day, I am still undecided as to what I want to be when I grow up.
But one thing is for sure… I want to be like Ms. Ponce. I want some day to save a kids life, like she did for me. There are many out there who just need a simple, “ Are you okay?” or a simple, ‘ Would you like to talk about it?”.
And whatever it is that I become in the future, I know I’ll be happy… because I have been inspired by one of the greatest, to make a difference