Lessons from the second grade by Bailey

Lessons from the second grade by Bailey - June 2019 Scholarship Essay

“A good teacher, like a good entertainer first must hold his audience's attention, then he can teach his lesson.” John Henrik Clarke. Educators have a very important job which, entails the responsibility of shaping the lives of young men and women. As a student, it seems rare to find a teacher that exerts the extra efforts to meet students’ needs. We aren’t just learning the information for the purpose of testing, we are learning how to transfer these skills and apply them to life. Great lessons and teachers greatly impact students.
Mrs. Jill Crutti, a sweet, loud, southern belle who taught second grade. She changed my mindset and perspective regarding school. Second grade was a new adventure. I moved to a new state. I lived in a new home. I attended a new school. While I was nervous about the transition, Mrs.Crutti’s personality helped me to adjust. “Bailey, you are the bomb.com.” she would say as she secretly passed me a piece of sugar free gum. Her voice was comforting and her gestures made me feel special. One of her most memorable lessons, was when we learned about ancestry and ethnic origins. At the end of the lesson, she announced we would reenact what it was like for many of our ancestors to travel from their native country to the famous Ellis Island. This process consisted of baggage claims, physical and mental examinations, background checks, money exchanging, and baggage check. Mrs. Crutti handed out tickets which stated which class level we were. Then we had to wait in line to get checked up by the actors that played doctors. Once our wait was over the doctors made us do jumping jacks and touch our toes to see our physical health. They also put candy canes in our mouths to check if we had any diseases. When our examinations were finished, we were asked several questions by the immigration department. The questions were, why we came to the United States, what were our plans, and if we had any family members in America. After the lesson was complete, I knew so much about Ellis Island and the process of people coming to this great country.
This lesson had a large impact because I was able to retain everything I learned, it also revealed my learning style. Which was very essential, when I got to high school. Now my friends and I figure out fun ways to learn the information in class. For example in chemistry, when we learn new material to get a better grasp on the information, I utilized labs to relate the information. Through all the things I learned, I feel that Mrs. Crutti’s lesson has impacted me the most.