Kelliann Carney English 12
10/19/03
Per. 1
“Today’s homework
is….any questions?” Silence. That was me
when I was about seven years old, playing “school” in my cold basement. That was my all time favorite thing to
do. But to play school you have to have
a classroom, so I turned my basement into a little classroom with a bookshelf,
i.e. the library, a tiny chalkboard low enough for me to write on if I stood on
my tip-toes, and even to little boxes to place homework or other un-graded
papers in. I would run home everyday and
teach my pretend class in this little classroom what I learned in school that
day. I would imagine that students were
raising their hands with questions for me to answer and would even grade their
“pretend” homework assignments, which tended to be a black piece of notebook
paper with a grade on it. I actually still
have a binder in
which I saved everyone’s grades in and would average them out
at the “end of the year” and even create report cards. Lets see here, Lisa A. got an B+ in math, not
bad, and Billy R. failed English that year, shame on you Billy, now I will have
to call your parents. One time I even
convinced my best friend who was a year younger than me, to be in my
class. I can’t believe she agreed to it,
but she did. Everyday I would teach her
something new and have her do worksheets, which my teachers were glad to give
me since they had extras and they knew how much I loved teaching. I still have the folder in with I saved all
of her graded assignments because I planned on showing her parents her progress
during my “parent-teacher conference,” but apparently she dropped my class
before I ever got to that. I love
looking back on these silly things and laughing about them.
These days I no longer
have to pretend to have my own class and assign fake homework assignments
because I now have my own “real” class.
A classroom with real walls, real desks, real chalkboards, and lets not
forget real students! This is everything
I have dreamt of since kindergarten and I can’t believe that it is finally
here. I wanted to be a teacher since the
day I entered into Donlin Drive Elementary School all the way up until the day
that I walked across that stage and accepted my diploma. Now I am actually planning lessons and
teaching each day to class of about 22 third graders at Huth Road Elementary
School. The best feeling in the whole
world to me now is when I see those tiny hands waving in the air waiting to be
called on. To me this is what really
lets me know that I have taught these kids well. I worked very hard to make this dream a
reality and I am quite proud of myself.
I have also longed to teach kids new and interesting things and help
educate the leaders of tomorrow, and I hope that I can make one of my students
run home everyday to play “school” just like I once did.
I had always had a
great appreciation for my teachers; especially the ones whom you could just
tell loved their job and loved teaching.
They work so hard inside and outside the classroom to help us learn and
become successful people. They would
even sacrifice valuable time with their families to stay after with the
students who needed a little extra help.
They would stay up to late hours in the night to finish grading papers
because they promised they would have them for us the next day. They would always greet you will a smile as
you entered the classroom each morning.
They were someone you know you could depend on and trust. These are the teachers that everyone
remembers many years later. I strive to
become one of these excellent teachers and I hope that one-day, some former
student of mine will look back in their yearbook and think to themselves, “wow,
she was a wonderful teacher!” But for
right now, I am just taking it one step at a time. I cherish each and every one of my students,
whom I consider my “children.” I strive
to make them the best that they can be and help prepare them for the many years
a head of them. And who knows where I
might be in another ten years!
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