Throughout my educational journey I was fortunate enough to meet a teacher who influenced both how I perceived school, as well as how I perceived myself. During high school I had an English teacher who I really connected with. She spent time getting to know each students’ interests, and put the effort in to acknowledge and incorporate these into our classes.
My personal experience with this teacher was encouraging and inspiring. My greatest interest was writing novels and short stories. This teacher connected me with a local author to discuss publication details and gain some knowledge on writing styles. This teacher also encouraged me to bring stories to class to share with students, or even just for her to read and edit. I appreciated her involvement in my life as it was formative to who I am today. She was the most encouraging person in my life and provided me with the confidence to ask for tips and feedback.
Prior to my experience with this teacher, I was struggling to develop an identity outside grades. Having someone acknowledge an interest of mine was validating and when it became apparent that it was important to her, I found myself becoming excited for school each day.
My high school English teacher aided my ability to write, my confidence to share my writing, and developed my sense of self beyond an assignment-focused identity. She made me feel seen and appreciated, and this is something I can only hope to provide for my students as I enter a career in teaching. I hope to inspire my students to reach for their interests in the careers they pursue.