Most of us remember a certain teacher or two who made a big difference in our lives, whether they helped us learn a difficult subject, caused us to see the world a different way – or simply because they took a few minutes to listen when everyone else seemed too busy.
Have you ever taken a moment to tell that special teacher about the impact he or she made on your life?
Now is the time.
Thursday (Sept. 24) is Legendary Teacher Day, and our Hockinson School Board is among a growing number of districts and cities that are issuing proclamations encouraging people to reach out and tell their “legendary teachers” about the impacts they have made.
I still think of my legendary teacher. Her name was Mrs. Baraveira, and I sat in her mathematics classroom more than 30 years ago at the Catholic all-girls high school I attended in Argentina.
Mrs. Baraveira was very businesslike, very strict – she had to be with 53 girls in her room. When she entered the room, we all stood up by our chairs with our hands folded behind us in complete silence until she told us to sit.
I recall one time she asked me to go to the chalkboard. She had written a very difficult math exercise there, including a concept she had not yet explained.
Walking to the front of the classroom, in front of all of my peers, I had no idea where to begin. But she told me, “Believe in yourself, and think it through. Remember what you learned in your previous lessons.”
I looked at the problem, and I actually solved it! And Mrs. Baraveira celebrated my success. That’s a moment I’ll never forget. It set me on my life path.
You see, Mrs. Baraveira believed in my ability as a math student, and that caused me to grow to love the subject. She was my teacher for four years, and over that time I decided I wanted to be just like her. Once I made that decision, I never veered from it.
I became a math teacher. Then, later, I began taking administrative posts, and those finally led me to my position as superintendent of Hockinson School District.
Today I am a teacher, and I strive to apply the most important lesson Mrs. Baraveira taught me: When someone you respect believes in you, you begin to believe in yourself too.
Please join Hockinson School District and contact your legendary teachers – whether with a card, a Facebook post or a tweet – and thank them for the positive influence they had on your life.
Sandra Yager is superintendent of Hockinson School District.
