Mr. Biber by natalie

Mr. Biber by natalie - July 2014 Scholarship Essay

Running around the playground was not the same experience for me as most of my classmates. As a young child who severely suffered from asthma, my illness not only affected my physical activity, but also limited my time in the classroom. Winter was the worst time for me because I spent the majority of the time at home sick. Not being able to attend school for a long period of time caused me to fall behind academically. Third grade was a big challenge as I experienced multiple asthma attacks and my health kept me from setting foot on school grounds the majority of the year. My teacher felt it was best for me to repeat the third grade, but my mother refused to let that happen. My mother, father, and older sister alternated teaching me the material I was missing in school, which was enough for me to pass.

The following year, I met my fifth grade teacher, Mr. Biber. My health had improved enough for me to regularly attend school that year. Despite my lungs wanting to breathe better, I began to struggle academically since I did not have a full grasp on the concepts taught the previous year. There was something unique about Mr. Biber. He stumbled upon our school as part of the Teach for America program since our school was not performing and had a desperate need for great teachers. He saw that I was capable of learning the material, I just needed more time outside of the classroom. Mr. Biber thought it would be helpful to tutor me after school. My mother gladly accepted this offer. He would come to my house at least three times a week. My grades started to improve and my homework assignments no longer frustrated me as much. It had become an almost daily routine. Mr. Biber would come over, my sisters would also gather around to complete their homework and ask him questions if necessary, and my mother cooked him a delicious dinner as a form of gratitude, a variety of Mexican vegetarian dishes of course since he did not eat meat. What was even more fascinating is that I was not the only student Mr. Biber would meet with after school. He did the same for other students in his classroom that would benefit from after school tutoring. Our grades were better and we thoroughly began to enjoy school.

It all seemed to be going well until the last month of school. On May 13th, 2006 my father unexpectedly died in a fatal accident, leaving my mother with four daughters to raise on her own. Mr. Biber was there for us both as a friend and a teacher since he had met my dad several times and shared many dinners with him. As the second oldest of my siblings, I had two younger sisters to console and help grieve as I was also experiencing the same healing process. My father’s death did not only have an emotional impact, but as our main household provider, our financial situation suddenly changed drastically. Of course, my mother felt it was acceptable for me to miss school considering the circumstances, but I had to return eventually. With almost two weeks left in the school year, I find out that I was on the brink of failing this school year once again due to my absence. Mr. Biber was determined to work with me one-on-one once again to make sure that I was prepared to move on to the fifth grade.

He motivated me when I was ready to give up by constantly reminding me about my father’s wishes. Would he have wanted me to give up on school and drop out? Or would he be telling me to keep striving towards an education and create a better life for myself? So I used the motivation to push through the final weeks of school. Dedicating all of my focus and dedication helped me pass the fifth grade. I am thankful to Mr. Biber, who never gave up on me, even when I wanted to give up on myself. He was a friend when I needed one and still is one today.

The dedication that I witnessed in Mr. Biber was a life changing experience. It is what made me want to become an educator myself. It took me a while to realize that I wanted to pursue a teaching career, but when I finally knew what I wanted to become I could only think of one person; Mr. Biber. As of today Mr. Biber is the executive director at Teach for America. His career as an educator has shown me the impact good teachers can have. I consider Mr. Biber to be the most influential mentor I have had because he has shown me the true meaning of being a dedicated educator. As I transition to Arizona State University to pursue a degree in Bilingual Elementary Education, I hope to develop the qualities that will help me touch the lives of others as Mr. Biber has touched mine.