Essay: The Improbable Influence by Emily

Essay: The Improbable Influence by Emily - June 2021 Scholarship Essay

For most students, their most influential teacher is someone whom they have looked up to or admired from the beginning. It is someone who they took a liking to for various reasons such as that the teacher provided them with wisdom, connected with them when none could, or was able to appeal to their learning style effectively.
After all, an influence is attainable when respect is mutual and desired. For myself, this was not the case at first. The teacher whom I consider to be the most influential to me was one who I did not necessarily like or get along with at first.
Coming in to my sixth-grade year I knew that I was going to take a choir class because of my love for music. Having had an older sister who took the same class years before me, I had heard much about the choir teacher. I came into the class with preconceived judgements about the teacher and therefore had already decided that I wasn't fond of her. I bristled at her direction and instruction at the beginning, and I often resisted her correction and guidance. I am sure that I was not the most desirable student during that time.
For the next two years I would have this teacher again. It was in these years that I came to the harsh realization that she was indeed an excellent teacher, and that my own judgements were to blame.
Throughout the three years that I had her as a teacher, I blossomed as a student. She gave me a chance; a chance to change. She was persistent in her pursuit of my friendship and made it a point to respect me, despite my attitude. She encouraged me in the development of my voice and gave me opportunities to step out and exercise my ability to sing.
She is the most influential teacher to me because she never gave up. She refused to give up on me. I will never forget the encouragement, hope, and trust that she had for me, even when I did not reciprocate at first. Her resilience and determination to know me and to build a friendship with me is and always will be inspiring to me. Coming in to class in sixth grade I never would have expected that she would turn out to be the most influential teacher that I would ever encounter. It was improbable and highly unlikely. However, she beat the odds by caring for me and by demonstrating what it means to be an excellent teacher.