Creative Influences-My Teachers

Inspiration- My love for school began in first grade with a quirky teacher named Mrs. Hardesty. She had big hair and spoke with ‘big words”. Her diction inspired me to learn the “big words” and by the end of the year I earned the opportunity to participate in the school’s spelling bee. Compassion- Mrs Byrdsong was my second grade teacher. She was caring and charismatic. Every morning she stood outside the classroom door and greeted us with a bright smile and a welcoming “Good Morning”. She made each of us feel like we were special and even on occasion I called her mom by accident. Excitement- Ms. Green, my fourth grade teacher. Now she was a ball of energy! You never knew what she was going to do or how she was going to do it. Somedays she came to school in full costume just to portray s person we were studying. Other days our learning involved singing and dancing. We were always the loudest class on the hall. Rigor-Mrs. Kapplar, my fifth grade teacher. She was tough as nails and everyone knew it. Rumors used to fly around about her all the time. I actually remember one of them being that she threw a desk. I doubt that seriously now, but I always felt academically challenged in her class. She knew I was smart and she pushed me. Every question was followed by another question. She was infamous for saying “Well prove it!”

These great educators inspired me to teach. Each one of them demonstrated their own individual creativity that helped me to understand and accept my own creativity. I saw them and admired their ability, skills, intellect, and quirkiness. My teachers were my role models. I see a little bit of each of them in myself. Just like Mrs. Hardesty, I use “big words”, but I call them challenge words. I too greet my children at the door with a welcoming smile like Mrs. Byrdsong. I sing and dance like Ms. Green-have you every created a pattern with your body? Or rapped out verses of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory? And just like Mrs. Kapplar I challenge my students, through Renzulli Learning and Literature Circles. I hope than my 2nd graders present and pass are/have been inspired to dare and create, just like I was!