Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Why?


" They may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel."
-Unknown

As begin this last semester of college, I want to reflect back on why I've worked so hard these past 4 years. Why have I worked so hard at restaurants and odd jobs for college money? Why have I spent sleepless nights staring at my notes? Why have I sacrificed time with friends to research just a little more for that project? 

I had the best kindergarten teacher in the entire world! I was a little English girl thrown into a French school without understanding a single word anyone spoke to me. She was terribly patient and had a closet full of stuff she would whip out to teach me the language. Someone would talk about a bear, she would hand me a little teddy bear. Another kid would share a story about baking cookies with Mommy, and she would pull out a cook book for me to flip through. 


I was lucky enough to have her as my 1st grade teacher too...but everything changed after that. Instead of my 2nd grade teacher making me feel loved, or special, or like I could accomplish anything I set my mind to, she put me down. I don't remember many smiles from her, and I remember crying at my desk because I just didn't understand what she was saying. She didn't take that extra step to explain the new vocabulary to me, she just frowned. 

My 3rd grade teacher wasn't any better. I was student who often struggled with simple math just because I couldn't keep my french numbers straight. She always sat me in the back of the classroom, even though my eyesight was poor, and called me out whenever I wasn't looking her in the eye. She criticized my pictures that I gave her as gifts, and would even go as far as announcing my horrible math grade to the entire class. I spent several recesses sitting at my desk doing her extra homework.


I felt like a worthless and dumb little girl. To this day, I struggle will putting myself down because of them.
I never, ever want another child to feel how I did. 

That's why I work so hard in school. I want to learn and develop my skills as much as possible. I feel like if I'm there, then that just keeps one more bad teacher out of the classroom. And that keeps one more bad teacher away from those kids.


I'm gonna graduate this May, and I'm going to go on to have the coolest preschool classroom this town has ever seen. Wearing a messy bun in my hair, bright shoes on my feet, and a genuine smile on my face, I'm going to accomplish what my 2nd and 3rd grade teacher should have. 

I'm going to make a difference in those little lives...for the better.

3 comments:

  1. I love this! you are so right and I am so excited to see how awesome your classroom is and to meet your adorable little kids that your pour your life into! :D :D You are gonna be one awesome teacher!

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  2. You are going to be a GREAT teacher. You already have been to my girl. I know because the other day I asked her if she loves her present teacher and she said "yes, mommy, I love Brittany too". She still mentions you a lot and that's because you were awesome with her. Good luck Brittany and be proud of yourself. Martina and your little Eva (from Mela)

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  3. May God bless your efforts as a teacher, as a wife and as a person of the world... This is a big year for you, I wish you the very best!

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