Thank You, Mr. Tjeder by Tara

Thank You, Mr. Tjeder by Tara - June 2019 Scholarship Essay

When I was thirteen, I was terribly shy and convinced I wanted to be a veterinarian. Frankly, I think I only wanted to be a veterinarian because I assumed it would involve spending a lot of time with animals and a limited amount of time having to speak to people. I was born with a cleft lip, and while it was corrected with surgery, it negatively affected the development of the muscles in my mouth. This meant that things like speaking in class or reading out loud filled me with a sense of dread unlike anything else.
This was all until I met my eighth grade United States history teacher, Mr. Tjeder. I had always loved history, but to me, loving social studies and English meant debating, reading out loud, and working in groups–all things that I desperately wanted to avoid. That did not mean I did not love it though, and Mr. Tjeder noticed. I started doing well on tests and homework in his class, but when it was my turn to speak in debates, I practically froze. The first few weeks of class, we had to give presentations on the revolutionary war, and to get it over with, I spoke so quickly I truly do not think anyone in that class understood a word I was saying.
But, Mr. Tjeder saw something in me that I did not, which was a passion for the subject and a natural ability to debate and understand arguments. To him, the problem was not anything to do with my birth defect and all to do with my confidence. Mr. Tjeder worked with me to help me understand that if I was confident in what I was saying and passionate about the words I was speaking, I would be able to excel in all the things I was once afraid of.
For the next debate, about the presidency of Andrew Jackson, Mr. Tjeder worked with me to fine-tune my ideas and help me feel confident about what I was going to present to my class. By the time the debate rolled around, I actually felt ready to speak. I presented my ideas, and to my shock and amazement, it went well. I felt great afterwards, better than anytime I had ever presented anything to a class before. My class listened, and my side won the debate.
This newfound confidence, one which Mr. Tjeder helped me gain through a confidence in my own ability and a confidence in the ideas I was going to present, was something that spilled over into my other classes and even changed my life goals as I got to high school.
I would go on to win debates in high school, participate in mock trial, and even major in history in college. Not only that, but eight years after the eighth grade, I am about to start Berkeley Law School in the fall. I truly do not think any of this would have happened without Mr. Tjeder. This lesson from an eighth-grade history teacher not only changed my educational path, but shaped who I am as a person, as well. Thank you Mr. Tjeder.