Walking into fourth grade, I see this old lady and think, All of my friends said that this is the worst 4th-grade teacher. Mrs. Bubolz. Looking back on it, I learned this was not the case. She ended up as my favorite teacher. The structured, traditional, organized, format was precisely what I needed to combat my ten year old spontaneous, can’t sit still, self.

Throughout the entire year I learned how to control my crazy self through Mrs. Bubolz’s teaching. One day we were doing a group project about the Natives Tribes that live in Wisconsin. We were working in groups of four because of all of our pods of desks were in pods of four throughout the classroom. “Alright, we are going to do a project on the Natives that live in Wisconsin. Each person at the pod will have a different role.” After about ten seconds of her explaining the project, I immediately exclaim,

“I am going to do this role, Nick, you do this, Ella, you do this, and Emily, you do this.” Mrs. Bubolz called me over, “Dillon, can I talk to you.”

Oh no now what could I have done this time?

“I realize you like to take charge and be the leader of the group, but you need to be less bossy to your pod mates. You're not the only person in your pod. You need to think about your other pod mates and be less bossy to them.”

With an astonished face, I reply “Really? I thought that's what they would want. I will try and be less bossy.” I went back to my pod and asked what everyone wanted to do. To

my amazement, my pod mates were happier with me.

Once middle school came, I was more organized and less spontaneous. Little did I know, Mrs. Bubolz was about to finish her job with me in middle school. In 7th grade, the school decided to move Mrs. Bubolz up to teach 7th and 8th graders. At the end of the year, I decided to wear a hat to school. I walked into my first hour (wearing my hat), the first thing she said to me was,

“Dillon take that hat off.” Of course, I listened to her and took it off. After class, I put my hat back on my way to my next class. She came to my second hour to talk to the teacher.

“Dillon take your hat off while you're in class. You can wear it outside.” I obeyed. Again right after class, I put it right back on. This transpired a couple more times throughout the day. She either saw me in the halls and told me to take it off and in the cafeteria during lunch. Each time her tone getting stronger. After recess (yes we still had recces in 7th grade), all the 7th graders were brought into the gym to discuss setting up the 8th-grade graduation. Since we had come in from recess, and me being my forgetful 7th-grade self, I forgot to take my hat off. Mrs. Bubolz walked in. Looked at me and said,

“Give me your hat.” She was stunned that I had disobeyed her for about the 6th time that day.  

“Mrs. Bubolz, I just for-,”

“Dillon I have had too tell you about six times today to give me your hat today.” reluctantly, I gave her my hat.

At the end of the day, I met my mother in the gym (she was helping organize the 8th graders' graduation).

“Where is your hat?” I explained the story to her with Mrs. Bubolz and how she had taken it. My mother made me go apologise for being so forgetful and disrespectful to Mrs. Bubolz.

“Mom it’s fine. I’ll just get it tomorrow.” I did not want to face Mrs. Bubolz, I was scared of being reprimanded.

“No go apologize to her right now and explain how you had forgotten about your hat after recess. We are not leaving this school until you do so.” Timidly, I walked down to Mrs. Bubolz’s room and apologized for what happened.

“It’s ok Dillon. I have just told you so many times that when I saw it for the sixth time, I had to take it. Between you and me, when I see people in public and they are wearing hats, I think it is very disrespectful. When I grew up no one wore hats inside. It was considered impolite. Thank you for apologizing. Here is your hat back.”

I was astonished she gave me my hat back and that she didn’t reprimand me at all. I thanked her and walked back to the gym with a smile on my face and my hat in my hand.

“Feel better you apologized?” said my mother with a grin.

“Couldn't be happier.” After my mother and I left school and we were outside, only then did I put my hat on.

Thank you, Mrs. Bubolz. The lessons you taught me in middle school shaped me to be the studious kid I am today. Thank you for molding me into the kid I am. Thank you for showing me the tough love I needed and teaching me to be organized, have structure and be able to sit still in class. Thank you, Mrs. Bubolz.