Deceptive Appearances
When I first saw her, I was sure she was the meanest teacher I knew. She taught fifth grade when I was a fourth grader. The corners of her mouth turned down and she had the sourest, meanest look that I knew. I hoped with all my heart that I wouldn't have her for a teacher the next year.
At the end of fourth grade, it was marked on my report card that I would have P. D. Lot for my fifth grade teacher. He was the principal as well as a teacher. We all liked him a great deal. That summer when I thought about going back to school in September, I felt excited and pleased knowing who my teacher would be.
On the first day of school, I eagerly went to the assigned room, only to find out that P. D. Lot had taken a job in another district and wouldn't be my teacher. My classmates and I were sent to another room on the opposite side of the building and our teacher was the woman I had feared all through fourth grade. I was really scared. I don't know how I walked through the halls to her room.
However, it didn't take long for me to discover that Mrs. Nichols was one of the nicest teachers I would ever have. I don't know why she had the sour expression but she wasn't in the least bit sour. She took a personal interest in us, made our learning fun, and told us a lot of things about her family. She told us where she lived and I was happy to know that it was on a street in town that we travelled to get to church. I loved looking at her house as we drove past it. I loved her.
I modeled my own teaching on the things I liked about Mrs. Nichols. I tried to let the children know that I was interested in them and I shared stories of my life and my interests with them.
When I moved on in school, I did not move away from her influence on me even though she was never a part of my life again.
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