Lessons I learned from some Great Teachers

My life has been Blessed a million times over and that's no joke, so it is worth mentioning as I thank God everyday for the teacher's in my life. And I am talking about the one's in Elementary, Junior High, High School and College. Let me share some of the "Excellent Lessons" I learned from many of them.

1. My Kindergarten Teacher: She had long blond hair and stood about 5 foot 9 inches tall. (Yes! I recall such great detail). I went into this class and had a very good lesson. How good you ask? When it came time to say the Pledge of Allegiance, I could not say it without: Speeding through it. I spoke really, really fast! I can't remember how fast, of course, but I kinda have an idea. I catch myself every now and then, when I'm on a role speaking about a topic I have a tight grasp on.

*As a community advocate, this helps me to this day. I didn't have to take a 'lick' of speech class(es), all because I learned at a very early age to 'Slow Down When I Talk.'

2. My First Grade Teacher: Here, I recall my teacher having medium length, brown & curly hair. She was very nice and helped me to start being a particpate in class. Now, I'm always participating in class, whenever I'm in one. It helps when it's a part of your Overall Grade!

As far as the Second grade goes, I don't recall much accept a student in my class who had a weird look about him but he was popular and a bully.

3. My Third Grade Teacher: This was with a teacher who was tall, medium built and had long brunette hair. I recall having a class full of bully's and nobody wants to remember those, do they? Well, I will. This grade introduced me to them and for the most part. I've been able to see negative results on some of those who decided to follow this path. I also learned and developed reciting in front of a class. I really looked forward to Thursday because, that was when we performed our recitals in front of the class.

4. My Fourth Grade Teacher: This was a tricky grade. we didn't have just one teacher and I do NOT recall either of their 5 (Five) names. We went around to 4 (Four) classrooms, like different class periods during the day, with a Homeroom that we went to at the beginning and end of each day. I liked this routine, of course it was weird at first but that passed by.

5. My Fifth Grade Teacher: This was a great class. How great? I had a classmate by the name of Christina who had very nice penmanship. I did NOT! She was more than kind and allowed me to practice improving my writing by looking at hers. NOT copying her writing, simply learning how to change the size of my letters. To my dear classmate Christina: You Rock!

Additionally, my teacher was very encouraging. There was a poster that was always hanging over the door. It stated: "I Know I'm Somebody, Cause God Don't Make No Junk!" Powerful! At the end of the school year, I asked for it and my teacher said: Yes! that set a precedent over my life that I can see vividly over the years and still show true right now.

6. My Sixth Grade Teacher was definitely a morning person. Why do I say that? Well, just like clockwork, she had her bagel and coffee every morning. Many times before we even arrived tot he class. She'd have a nice smile on her face and was perky too! I saw in her the characteristic of being cheerful in the morning (And NO! I did not see that in my home life, it just did not exist). Now that I write this, it makes perfect sense. I learned this value in the 6th grade from my 6th grade Teacher. She had short curly brown hair, was 6 ft tall and slender. I learned from her...can you guess? The invaluable benefits of being known as perky and friendly.

7. Now for the years at Junior High, they're a bit gray for me. Except, I do recall times in track & Field, times in my classrooms with the teachers, times when I was in the library, when I was on the cafeteria gorunds and times when I was walking in the halls. Yes, I do remember things like that. I remember getting many citizenship certificates that were to reward students who were excellent with their behavior at school, as well as, a separate one for having excellent academic grades. Nice motivation, but I had no problem with listening and doing my assignments for class. Lastly, I'd like to mention my Junior High School Counselor, who did a great job helping students on the right path to their educational and life goals.

8. My High School years. For the first part of high school, I was living in the valley, known as a 'Valley Girl!' Cute and sickening at sometimes, I know. I had a teacher who taught me how to take a few moments to say something encouraging to someone, take a second to point out something positive about somebody (you never know what they are going through and it may help them in life). I Wish I Knew What Happened To Her! This is what she did: One day at the end of class, she called me back from exiting. She stated: 'Oh, I wanted to talk to you Anna. Do you know what your names mean?' I said: No, but I knew that my names were from the bible. She described the detailed meaning of each and outlined my own personality traits and characteristics, to the letter of the definition of my names, identically. How Outstanding! Right? Well, look. I had nothing short of what is considered an unfit home, with the state I lived in declaring so. But, it would be year, after year that my mind would recall this tender moment to get my mind in the right place and to encourage me beyond what I did not know was life rewarding.

Now, the last 2 years of high school was at a different school, Filled w/ 4 classes a day and out by 12 noon, American Literature, Biology, Economics and other classes as well. I went for the Cheerleading tryouts, in spite of whatever...........and was accepted on the team. Good memory and those skills help for life. Presentation, stage performance and structure.

9. College. Ugh! Why!!?? I know, for the pursuit of a higher education and to attain greater hieghts in life. And other positive reasons, sure but, I went straight for it! That didn;t work out, then went back after a couple years and this teacher taught us: CYA. Cover Your Ass! Now, I don't practice using language like this and am finding that in the legal field, at least as one goes up the ladder in law and politics, vulgarity is found wandering about callously. So! Needless to say, I do know the right and wrong times for words of this nature to have a profound meaning. Even though I don't prefer to hear them. This has helped me tons of times. It helped me in the last week, with my teen and preteen. Hmph! they were trying to rush for something and I stated that it is more important to CYA. And shared that this can help them not only stay out of trouble but, out of being in trouble with the law, now and in their futures.

I don't like the way many teacher's, school staff and principal's show incompetence and I know that my own personal history with some great teachers helps keep a fire under my butt. As a mother, I've had to use the extinguisher because of several things that warrant a positive resolution that was not being implemented by either the teacher(s), school staff(s) And/Or school principal. Gladfully, I can say that I've attained resolutions that I am satisfied with. Who knew, I would become a Proactive Mother?

***Psst! I worte this hub as a way to say thank you to these teachers, and though one or more maybe gone from us, I strongly follow in the footsteps of sharing the lessons that have been shared, given and bestowed upon me with others that are on this earth. This is a surefire way for them to continue through the world.

Respectfully,

Sapphireid