mrs j

Meet: Mrs. J

Today is one of those rare days where I really think I can be a science teacher. Usually the feedback in practicums is less than desirable. However, I know its only because they desire for us to improve and not ever feel we are "good enough," which I agree with. 

But today was different. For one, there was no observer with pen and paper and nose-tipping glasses sitting in the back eyeing me and listening for false information, hints of lack of confidence, disengaged students or side tracked tangents. It was just me and the 26 students and the most phenomenal teacher I have ever had the privilege of meeting and teaching with. She is still a twenty something who graduated about seven years ago and seems to have wisdom beyond her years while still seeming and looking like a 22 year old model.

Mrs J is such a contradiction. She is blond and beautiful and loves biology and got her masters in entomology (bugs!) and works at the zoo on the weekends. She is entertaining, engaging, and brilliant and her students LOVE coming to her class. Its not like the monotony and drudgery that the rest of their classes seem to be. She does what we all want to do but for some reason struggle at: She proves that learning is FUN.

Well I had the privilege of teaching her class today, and I left smiling, excited, and rejuvenated that maybe someday I really can be a teacher. That maybe I am capable, engaging, and fun. And I understand that I need the not-quite-as-good students occasionally in order to appreciate how great her group of kids is. 

So here's to Mrs. J- what I aspire to be.