There is a mom at my school. She’s like all the other moms. She smiles and asks us how we are. She tries to see things from our point of view, which means she asks a lot of questions when we’re talking. She does discipline us so that we don’t turn into brats, but she also makes sure we know that we are loved. She has a sense of humor and a sense of sarcasm. She tells us when we’re doing well and when we need to work harder. She laughs with us and at us. She sets up boundaries while giving us freedom. She tries to figure out what kind of person we really are and tries to help us reach our potential. She smiles when we do a good job. She makes sure that we know she will always be there for us. There is a mom at my school. We call her Mrs. Smith. She teaches junior history classes at Portville Central School.

Mrs. Smith is an exemplary teacher. She was valedictorian of her graduating class and a lead actor in her school’s plays and musicals. She brings both these skills into her classroom. There is no asking “Why do we have to learn this?” in her class. She connects every topic to our lives. Throughout our discussions of American history, she throws in lessons from science, English, past history classes, foreign languages, and even math class. When discussing current events, she shows us how history constantly repeats itself and makes predictions for the future. Then she tells us how to survive. The actor comes out in her when we see her teaching without notes. She is not afraid to get off of her stool to prove a point, and many days it seems we should be shining a spotlight on her! Mrs. Smith has encouraged us to be active and engaged in everything. She’s inspired us to turn the lunch table into a courtroom and the world into a classroom – things that not many teachers can inspire juniors to accomplish.

Mrs. Smith is a genuine person and encourages us to be the same. Both inside and outside of the classroom our teacher is quick witted, sarcastic, logical, smart, intuitive, and caring. When she sees students having a bad day she gives them a reassuring squeeze on their shoulder, a sign someone cares. She’s a person very much based on logic. Before she reacts to something a student is doing, such as falling asleep in her class, she tries to come up with a reason the student is behaving that way. Mrs. Smith understands that most of us are 16 or 17 years old, and we’re still trying to figure out not only what the world expects of us, but also what we should be expecting of ourselves.

She has this intuition that helps her know who’s barely trying, who’s content with being average, and who’s constantly pushing themselves to be perfect. She finds fault in all three of these studying habits. The ones who are barely trying are not living up to their potential, the ones who are being average aren’t being themselves, and the overachievers often have breakdowns because they don’t understand they can’t be perfect. Mrs. Smith is there for each of her students every step of the way.

She lets us come in her classroom during her free periods or after school and just sit with her, a privilege I often take advantage of. We have life discussions, and she tries to nudge us in the right direction while pushing us to be ourselves. She forces us to take part in our community, pushing us to volunteer for the scholarship committee she is the head of and pushing us to sign up for class-sponsored events, like the elementary fun night. If she’s there, she wants to see us there – something she’ll tell you with a smile.

Mrs. Smith pushes us to be better people every day. She encourages us to want to learn and to be active in our learning. She encourages us to be ourselves and celebrate the individual in all of us. Mrs. Smith is the mom of our school.