I cannot think of any other name that brings as much joy and sorrow as “Charlesworth.” The joy, of course, came from her ability to connect with her students as well as her passion for teaching. The sorrow, on the other hand, is because I do not have her as a teacher anymore.

Being a fifth grade teacher is hard, because you have the same kids for the whole day, and you have to know enough about all of the subjects.  But one of the things that separates her from the rest of the teachers is her creativity and ingenuity. No matter what your “niche” was, she could find a way to make you feel at home.
  For starters, I loved the Harry Potter series--books and movies--and I always wanted to visit Hogwarts. Since she knew this, she bought a “sorting hat” replica and had me wear it the second day of school. And, to my surprise, it even talked! It “sorted” me into Hufflepuff, which was great seeing as I held the same views as that house (being just and loyal).  This is just one of the ways she made me feel at home. Instead of me hating school, I enjoyed coming to class.

When we went to Discovery World for our class field trip, I seemed to be the only one who was inquisitive enough to leave the pack. Not only was she okay with me leaving, but she encouraged it and said, “come get me if you find anything that sparks your interest!” What a cool teacher. When I came back and told her about the walk-through aquarium, she practically ran to the exhibit.

  Another positive thing about Mrs. Charlesworth was the way she connected with her students. Not only did she come outside during recess and play kickball with us, but she also made up her own game just for our class, based on our skills and abilities. Every person in the class had a role in the game, and it wouldn’t work unless everyone participated. It taught us to work collaboratively and in sync, which is an important skill to have.

  Her passion for teaching was far greater than any teacher I have met. Every concept was understood by every student, because she wouldn’t move on until everyone understood it. It made us all feel wanted and important, which is something not every student has felt.

Her attitude, her dedication, and her perseverance were her strongest values. But, there isn’t one single trait alone that makes her a good teacher; instead, her set of ideals, values, and principles are what made her stand out.

Without her, I wouldn’t be as outgoing as I am today. Seeing as I wasn’t confident in my speaking skills, she dedicated her free time working with me on public speaking, fluency, and other grammar related things. This ended up shaping my personality and allowing me to be more outgoing, which introduced me to my current friends.  She was a teacher who cared about her students, and wanted them to do great things.

Most years, kids jump with glee when summer kicks in. For me, it was quite the opposite. I had grown to love the classroom, and the environment Mrs. C created. Summer seemed more like a punishment than a vacation.

I couldn’t have asked for a more caring teacher, especially at such an important time in my life. That is why I am nominating Mrs. Charlesworth as the best teacher in the history of the world.