Teacher Appreciation Week

I don't know if you know this or not, but today starts the first day of National Teacher Appreciation Week... When you think about teachers...whether you like them or not, they have a great impact on your life... When you break down the daily hours of your life as a child..you spend more time with your teachers in a school day than your parents.. They are pretty important people. Now that I am a teacher, as I reflect on school years, I really appreciate my teachers all the more....

In honor of my favorite teachers during this week, I wanted to tell you about my top 5 teachers of all time... I'll start with 5 and work my way to the number 1 spot.

5. Mr. Johnson: 9th Grade Algebra; He was probably the smartest teacher I ever had... He knew everything there was to know about Algebra, but more importantly he knew how to teach it. He was an extremely nice guy and took the time to get to know his students. I got to know him outside of school at church too. I don't really remember all that much Algebra, but I sure remember him...Great Teacher!!!

4. Mrs. Blanton and Ms. Jackson (now Mrs. Ramsey) Both of these ladies, like Mr. Johnson, were math teachers. Blanton taught Algebra 2, and Jackson taught Geometry. They became like mothers to me at school, even though Ms. Jackson is just like 5 years older than me. Both of these ladies were fantastic.... When I had Mrs. Blanton I was mixed in there with juniors and seniors while I was the lone sophomore...She knew I felt out of place and made me feel right at home.... Ms. Jackson was my 11th grade Geometry teacher...She just made it come alive for me... Any kind of math other than Algebra by this point was great... I had been doing Algebra for years so it was easy to like here!!!

3. Coach Fisher: 9th Grade World Geography; This ma was THE BOMB as we used to say in high school. He was one of those rare football coaches who actually considered it an honor to teach instead of a burden. He took such pride in his job and he made EVERY SINGLE DAY worth coming to class... We had these really super duper hard map projects that we had to do, but because of him I know where the Ural Mtns. and the Ganges River are. He was tough but I learned SOOOO much in his class. When my grandfather died that year he even came to the mortuary because he read about it in the paper... The funniest thing I remember about him was that when we would get ready to take a test, he would tell us to take out our "writing sticks."

2. Mrs. Cannon: 1st grade; I LOVED FIRST GRADE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Everything was did was the coolest ever.... I am SURE that I was in THE BEST class in the whole school. NO ONE could have possibly been better than Mrs. Cannon.... My favorite thing about her class was "The Busy Box." She put all of our extra, left over worksheets in there and when were finished with our work or during free time we could get whatever we wanted... I remember taking lots of them home to play school with when I got home... I have even used this idea in my own classroom.. Hopefully my kids love it as much as I did!!

1. Mrs. Garrett: 6th Grade Band; I don't even know if I can type this one without crying. Mrs. G, Mama Carrot, Roseanne, whatever I called her, was HANDS DOWN the most influential teacher of my entire life. I was in her first class ever and when she first came none of us liked her...but she quickly won us over. At the end of 6th grade NONE of us wanted to leave her... Thankfully since the band program is like family, we didn't have to go too far... I only missed her for one year then when I was in 8th grade and got to march there she was as an assistant.... Again in 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th.... Each and every year she encouraged me to play up to my potential with my trumpet... I remember my senior year I was really struggling and she pulled me aside and helped me with my solo.... The best part about Mrs. Garrett does not stop at my graduation though.... Since then she and I have become GREAT friends... Every year we get together at least once or twice... She has officially asked me to call her Roseanne, but it just about kills me to do it... If you read my New York Blog you will see that I recently got to go to New York with her and some other former band members... It was the GREATEST TRIP EVER!!!!!!! We made some new memories and the ones we have already are just too numerous to share!!

Mrs. G, I don't know if you will read this, but if you do I can never say thank you enough... 6th-12th grade were the hardest, most awkward, trying years of my life... So many times I wanted to run away from all of it but you were a constant source of encouragement and help to me... Even as an adult you have been there to spur me on to do my best in everything... You are the GREATEST TEACHER EVER!!!! Thank you so much for choosing teaching as your life. God has used you in ways you will never know. You have done exactly what you were called to do... I love ya!!!!! Happy Teacher Appreciation Week!!!!!!!