What is your idea of an English teacher? I believe an English teacher should be enthusiastic about what he/she does. He/She should be caring, understanding and should be able to excite us in the world of literature and arts. A teacher that perfectly fits this description is my 8th grade English teacher, Mrs. Faccenda. Mrs. Faccenda is caring and warm-hearted, and she knows what is best for her students. She is understanding and gives us the tools and information we need to help us thrive. She gives great insight on new and challenging topics. These characteristics that Mrs. Faccenda possess are why I think she should be a nominee for the Educator of the Year Award.
Mrs. Faccenda cared for her students in many ways. She developed an activity called “Positive Pause.” Every Friday, at the start of class, we took an index card and reflected on someone or something that had a positive impact on ourselves.  It could be something during the week or an upcoming event. Either way, Mrs. Faccenda wanted us to pause and let us think about an good existent in our life. When there was a band concert, Mrs. Faccenda would look after the students waiting to perform. She always had her way of settling us down with a helpful whistle.  She was one to help out on any occasion.
Mrs. Faccenda always gave the right means and encouragement we needed to succeed. She understood things from our point of view. Whenever we had a problem effecting us, such as bad test score or even if we were feeling down about ourselves, Mrs. Faccenda would always try to find a way to resolve it. She put herself in our perspective and fully understood our situation. Mrs. Faccenda always knew what was going through our heads. I recall a couple times in class, I knew what Mrs. Faccenda was thinking, and to acknowledge my thought; she gave me a wink.
She gave us observation on different and challenging material. We did lessons of more entertainment than the rest of the other 8th grade English classes. She set up a debate for us once. Our topic was on the death penalty; we had to research both pro and con. Each team fought head to head on their point of view. Everybody had so much fun and excitement run through them that day.  Mrs. Faccenda let us venture into short stories by Edgar Allen Poe and her favorite plays like, Romeo and Juliet. She always used to call us, by her dictionary, “over-achievers.”
Let me tell you that this is only a portion of Mrs. Faccenda; there are still so many wonderful things that make her who she is. I wish I could tell you more. Mrs. Faccenda is a compassionate and diligent teacher who strives for excellence for her students. She has given the “Book of Success” with her style of teaching. She always wanted us to go above and beyond our curriculum and reach for the stars. Mrs. Faccenda will always have a place in my heart for all she has done for me. This is why I nominate Mrs. Faccenda for Educator of the Year.