My best Teacher. by Hannah

My best Teacher. by Hannah - January 2025 Scholarship Essay

I have had many great teachers in my life but none as amazing as my middle school teacher Ms. Smalls. Ms. Smalls was a force that didn’t care what grade you were in, nor what age you were, because for her it was never too early or too late to get some sense knocked into you. I was bullied a lot in middle school by classmates and by teachers, which made me become a wallflower in the classroom. I never took chances like raising my hand, asking questions or conversing with other students. I was mostly bullied because I didn’t behave nor speak the way people my skin color were/are assumed to, which caused some of my white teachers to isolate me in a way I didn’t understand. Ms. Smalls was one of three black teachers that I had throughout my middle school journey, and she took no excuses and no nonsense and because of her neither do I. My first introduction of her was when she told us straight up that ‘If you are asked a question you are expected to answer, ‘I don’t know’ is unacceptable'”. I didn’t know how serious it was until I became her target every class. Every student that didn’t answer the question given would get it written on the board and would have to return to answer it at lunch. I can honestly say at that time I genuinely despised her. However, regardless of my personal feelings there was never a time I didn’t eventually answer my assigned question. Ms. Smalls also gave me a new appreciation for the English arts, the strength in words, and the importance of talking to someone when I need help. The most important event in my life is when Ms. Smalls helped me with a severe bullying incident. I had made a girl, who already didn’t like me, very upset over an unintended accident that I offered to make up for. Instead of handling it with words the girl threatened to fight me the next time she saw me. I immediately told Ms. Smalls, especially since the girl shared her class with me. Ms. Smalls brought us together and had us sit down to have a conversation, and after our discussion we created a club for girls, in our class or not, to have a place to be safe and not so alone in middle school. I used Ms. Smalls’ example through the rest of my middle school and high school experience. I genuinely believe that because of her I did better at asking for help, learned it’s okay to be wrong, problem solve better, and recognize when others are also in a tough spot. I miss her very much; I hope she’s doing well, and I wish I could thank her for everything again.