The Love of Learning by Kaitlin

The Love of Learning by Kaitlin - July 2014 Scholarship Essay

Throughout the years I have had a few truly inspirational teachers, and they all taught me that learning is the key to your true passion and that education is the way to be successful. However, there is one teacher that stands out very clearly in my mind. That is Madame.

She taught me French, but she did so much more than that. She instilled in me a love of French, the language and the culture. She provided students with endless opportunity to experience French culture and life. In my four years of high school she organized two trips to Canada, two French exchange programs, two trips to Cirque du Soleil, several art museum trips, a trip to see Les Miserables in Washington D.C., and two four course lunches at the famous French restaurant L’Auberge Chez Francois. I was lucky enough to go on one of the exchange trips and spent ten unforgettable days in France living with a family and taking day trips with other students. It was an experience I will remember for the rest of my life.

I was in her French class for three years, and I was fortunate enough to get to know her better throughout that time, partially due to my involvement in the activities she made available, and in the French Honor Society. She truly cared about each of her students, and many afternoons I would go to her room and end up just talking to her. Sometimes, she would ask if I would be interested in having an extra AP study session on Saturday, or if I thought the readings were too difficult, other times she would ask about my job or activities, or my plans for college. Whatever we discussed, I always felt that she really cared.

If you truly loved French and wanted to be in her class, she was endlessly accommodating. Not only did she come early and stay for endless hours after school to help students, but she also was willing to put herself to great inconvenience to accommodate you. When I had schedule conflicts between her class and my Latin class, which was also a favorite of mine, I planned to drop Latin in order to continue French. However, Madame knew how much I liked both classes and offered me a spot in her level 4/level 5 class, despite the fact I was in AP 5. Those two classes may sound similar but in fact the curriculum is almost completely different. Two other girls were given the same offer, and we all switched into that class. It was clearly more work for her, yet she generously inconvenienced herself so we could all get the education we wanted.

The class was truly a joy for me, we made video plays, sang French songs, and watched French movies, but we also read French literature, wrote essays and discussed huge issues such as world hunger, and nuclear energy in French. I learned to speak a language, and to love a language. She has pursued and immersed herself in what she loves, and inspired me to do the same.