Influential Teacher by Kimberly

Influential Teacher by Kimberly - June 2021 Scholarship Essay

I cowered underneath the classroom table while listening to the sounds of gunshots and the booming of cannons. Writing a letter to my loved ones while imagining the stench that came from the trenches of World War I. My teacher Mrs. Bolton inspired and invited her students to become interactive with history and peaked our interest in creative ways. Though her teaching methods seemed outlandish and bizarre at first, I quickly realized that Mrs. Bolton would be one of the most influential teachers I would ever have the privilege of learning from.
Mrs. Bolton chose to go above and beyond her job by engaging her students within the learning material. History was easily one of my least favorite subjects, but Mrs. Bolton was the teacher that changed that for me. She taught me that history does not have to bore you with the memorization of names and dates. The stories of the past can be as fantastical and imaginative as a fictional book. She taught me that history is all about perspective and how the stories of the past will change depending on the point of view they are told from.
Mrs. Bolton was one of the few teachers that actually cared about her students’ wellbeing. She constantly reminded them of how much they were loved, and the endless amount of potential they all withheld. She wanted her classroom to be a safe and comfortable environment, which is why her classroom was not a normal classroom. The room was always dim with the light coming from the soft lamps instead of the harsh florescent school ceiling lights. There were no desk in the room, instead they were replaced by movable couches, beanbags, and pillows that gave off a relaxing mood. Mrs. Bolton wanted her classroom to be a stress-free zone, where your attention and participation was enough.
With all her attempts to make her students feel comfortable, Mrs. Bolton succeeded in gaining her students trust and ears. When she spoke, all of the students would respectfully give her their undivided attention and participate when she asked questions. She inspired her students to always do their best, because that was all she was looking for. She taught her students with as much care as she would her own children. The care she treated her students with earned a mutual respect throughout the classroom and made her students eager to come to class and learn.
Under Mrs. Bolton’s influence I learned an amplitude of life lessons that have stuck with me throughout these past years. I will receive the same respect I treat others with; I have the potential to go as far and as high as I set my goals; there is no ambition that is too big for me to reach; and my best effort and participation when presented with a challenge is enough.