Teachers Make All the Difference

This month we celebrate teachers.

Growing up I saw the joy and dedication (and, yes, the hours of grading papers and lesson planning at the kitchen table) that my mother had for teaching her students. I followed in my mother’s footsteps, graduating from Pacific Lutheran University with a degree in secondary education and became a teacher.

When I graduated college, I chose to become a substitute teacher in Franklin Pierce and the Bethel School Districts. I taught every grade from kindergarten to seniors. I even had two long-term substitute positions; one in a classroom for students with emotional behavior disorders, and another as a business and marketing teacher at a high school. The following summer, I taught high school history and then became a junior high school teacher at Spanaway Junior High School where I taught science, social studies, journalism (and produced the paper), leadership, and an elective on Ghana, to name a few.

I loved teaching and being part of helping my students become successful and persistent in pursuing their goals. I hoped I had a positive impact on my students. As teachers, we may never know the impact we have made on students but we hope they carry a bit of their time with us with them as they head out into the world - whether it is a bit of advice, a kind gesture or the encouragement they need to believe in their abilities.

As an educator and administrator, I carry the lessons I learned from many of my teachers and mentors. Earlier this year, I got the opportunity to thank one of those very special teachers. I had the privilege and honor of being in Mrs. Joyce Stark’s science classes in the mid-80s in Sunnyside, Washington. Her energy and enthusiasm was contagious and her support of student choice to explore the scientific world around them was monumental. As a junior high student, I won at regional and state science fairs because of this one teacher’s support.

This fall I was asked to be the opening speaker at the Washington Science Teachers Association conference held here at W.F. West High SchooI. I was honored to be asked to give opening remarks and included in my prepared speech acknowledgement of the impact Mrs. Stark had on my life. While at the podium, I asked the question, “Is there anyone out there who knows her?

To my immense surprise, fingers pointed in the direction of a table in the front of the commons directly at Mrs. Stark. Before rushing down to give her a huge hug, I shared with her and the conference attendees how she shaped the trajectory of my life with her ability to inspire her students to experience and enjoy science. Because of her, I became a science teacher and had the courage and skills to follow my dreams.