Books·Bytes·Blog
  • Books, Bytes, Blog
    • The Dynamic Library
  • #HaikuReviews
Picture

Thank You Mrs. Strandquist

5/8/2015

2 Comments

 
Happy Teacher Appreciation Week!

As a teacher I’ve received many gifts over the years. I appreciate them all, but the ones that are most precious to me have come on pieces of crinkled paper or via email. In my world, a note from a student is a treasure.

As much as I value these notes, I have never written one myself. Today I'd like to change that.


I knew I wanted to be a teacher when I was fairly young, but there is one moment when I absolutely knew – for certain – that teaching is what I was meant to do.

Mrs. Strandquist was my 10th grade biology teacher. She was strict but fair, had tremendous expectations of us, loved what she taught, and was interested in her students as humans. She was the kind of teacher you wanted to impress, the one who tolerated no nonsense in her room, but made learning fun and exciting. As an adult I find that incredibly impressive - it’s a pretty bold job commanding order in a room full of 16-year-olds with scalpels in their hands. (Biology in Mrs. Strandquist’s room was a hands-on affair, part of what made it so memorable.)

My senior year, I asked Mrs. Strandquist if I could stand in for her during Student Takeover Day – an annual event during Senior Week. She agreed and then asked, “What would you like to teach that day?”

I was shocked. I thought I just had to dress nicely, sit at her desk, and watch students ad she taught them. Not in Mrs. Strandquist’s room. If I was standing in, I was standing all in.

After we discussed the content I would teach, I had to watch her plan the lesson. She made me go over what I would say and do, and the afternoon before Takeover Day she had me draw diagrams and write the notes students would need to take on the chalkboard.

Whew.

I was a nervous wreck the next morning when the first period students walked in, but I had my plan and started class. Teaching 10th graders about the structure of the eye may not sound all that glamorous, but I loved it. I felt so at ease, so comfortable, and I knew – for certain – that I was supposed to be a teacher.

I doubt that Mrs. Strandquist remembers me and I’m almost certain that she does not remember my taking over her class, but it was probably the most memorable day of my high school career.

Dear Mrs. Strandquist,

You may have officially been my biology teacher, but you taught me so much more. Thank you.

Sincerely,
Marcia (Green) Porter


Picture
Marcia Green
HPHS Class of '82
Picture
Mrs. Lynn Strandquist
2 Comments

    About Me

    As a teacher librarian in a 6-8 middle school, when I'm not dreaming up all sorts of tactics to get books into my students' hands, I am seeking new ways to harness technology to help them learn.
    My earlier postings can be found at The Dynamic Library.

    Picture
    You can find me online:
    Twitter: @booksbytesblog
    Instagram:  @BooksBytesBlog
    ​Pinterest:
    ​pinterest.com/booksbytesblog
    Email: marcia.r.porter@gmail.com

    Archives

    January 2019
    August 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    January 2017
    July 2016
    June 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015

    Tweets by @BooksBytesBlog

    Categories

    All
    EdCamp
    Makerspace
    Middle School
    Reading
    Social Media
    Teaching
    Technology

Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Books, Bytes, Blog
    • The Dynamic Library
  • #HaikuReviews