木瓜影院

Selena Tomas
鈥淭eaching for the Future鈥�
College Writing 1, Dr. Jennifer Consilio

I was inspired to write this piece because I wanted others to understand that teachers do more than just teach the basic curriculum. Stephanie Konidaris is a middle school ELA teacher that I had the pleasure of working with during my final year of high school, and the experience solidified my goal of becoming a teacher like her someday. She鈥檚 a role model and friend that I am very thankful to have met, and I wanted others to know just how amazing she is. Teachers like Stephanie do not just teach complex and compound sentences; they teach their students important life lessons and allow them to express themselves.

Excerpt from 鈥淭eaching for the Future鈥�

鈥淛ust like any new teacher, Stephanie鈥檚 first years were her hardest. Despite this, she feels as though they were also some of her best. 鈥淢y old students were primarily low-income Hispanic kids who really needed some positivity. A lot of their life was gang violence that they were coming out of,鈥� her expression quickly reveals how upset she is by the memory. A shadow casts over her eyes, and there is no longer a bright smile on her face. "Nelly, my little feminist, did not have a positive home-life. I remember teaching about the Civil Rights Movement, and she was almost crying. She said that she felt so bad that she complained about her own life when she believed that the kids during this time went through terrible experiences every day and probably never complained鈥�. Stephanie pauses for a moment, almost as though she is reflecting on the experience. 鈥淭he whole class was just silent. I think it鈥檚 just those kinds of moments that you get out of kids that are really impacting and changing.鈥�

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