Yep, it’s that time again! Time to link up with Mama Kat for the Pretty much world famous writers workshop! If you haven’t been there before use the link below to swing by and check it out!!
This week I chose prompt 5. Your second grade teacher.
The funny thing about this is that my second grade teacher is the one I remember the most vividly. Maybe because she was just so cool. Her name was Miss Maas, and she was a first year teacher, fresh out of school. She was full of new ideas and very enthusiastic. I think our school board did her a grave disservice, in that her first class room was a room full of “problems”. She had all of the kids that the first grade teachers had labeled as “trouble”. We were the emotionally disabled, autistic, ADHD kids. And boy did she take the task on admirably.
I had an issue with talking, not paying attention, and disrupting the class. She knew that I was not a malicious child, but rather that I was bored. She is the one who suggested that my parents get my IQ checked to see if I needed to be in gifted classes. She also suggested that I be tested for ADHD and recommended the 365 club.
My parents took me in, they did the testing, and sure enough… not only was I ADHD but I tested 3 points below brilliant on my IQ test. After diagnosis I started on Ritalin and Cylert; drugs not commonly used anymore for kids. A lot of teachers would have let it go at that – I was medicated and less trouble in her classroom. Not Miss M. Nope, she took it a few steps further. First she provided me with a learning environment that was better for me. She also fostered my love for the written word by providing me with books. When I finished all of the second grade reading level stuff, she got the third grade stuff for me, then the fourth grade stuff.. and so on, by the end of the year I was reading the sixth grade books, and could have been on a higher level if we had had time.
She also sent notes home from school, every single day. These were just mini progress reports, to let my parents know how much I had read, how I had behaved, and where I needed to improve.
Miss M took the time to help a little girl understand that just because she was different didn’t mean she was bad. She made me proud of my accomplishments and triumphs. She helped foster in my a love for reading and writing that has lasted to this day. I will be forever grateful to her.
Where ever you are, whatever you are doing now Miss Maas – know that you touched this life in a way I can never repay. Thank you!
Do you have a special teacher in your heart? A teacher who showed you a love for learning that has lasted a lifetime?
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Set in My Ways 