Best/Worst Teacher

Best Teacher, Worst Teacher, and Why the Profession?

How do you determine a best and worst teacher? Who makes the decision? What are the guidelines to grade a best or worst teacher? Nobody knows, but everyone has had a best teacher and a worst teacher. I have worked with the best of the best and the worst of the worst. From a teacher who can only cared about a paycheck to a teacher who would do anything to see her students grow as a person and succeed. The best teacher I have ever worked with is, Mrs. Kristie Lemons. She is a kindergarten through fifth grade special education teacher. She is very committed to her classroom, to her children, and also her co-workers. She is very kind, loving, caring, generous and Mrs. Lemons always goes above and beyond for the classroom. She is very structured and repetitive for the sake of the children in her classroom who need daily schedules. She is always giving a 110% even if you only asked for 50%. Mrs. Lemons has great ideas that may or may not always work, but it is always in the best interest of the child or children. She believes that all children have a right to learn and can learn know no matter what their disability is, and she never gives up. Mrs. Lemons is very committed and dedicated to her school. She is always looking for new ways to help better serve the children, the parents, as well as the teachers. Her willingness to work with the parents and help them deal with the child or children's problem is amazing. She is very good at what she does;, I consider her the best of the best. She has shown me how hard it is to be a special education teacher yet how wonderful it is at the same time. She has definitely changed my life and made me want to further my education to become a special education teacher. After boasting about how wonderful Mrs. Lemons is, I should inform you on how awful Mr. Barrin Seal was. Last year, I was a substitute teacher pretty much all year for Mr. Seal. This was not his first year teaching, but it was his first year as a special education teacher at a new school. To me it seemed as if he really did not care about these children let alone his classroom or co-workers. Mr. Seal never took the time to read the children’s IEP’s or even to set up his classroom to fit the children’s needs to learn. From experience I know that special needs children want and crave in structure, and they also need schedules so they would know what to expect next. However, he could not provide any of these things for the children. I will never forget my first time in there:, there was nothing to do. There was nothing for me to teach the children. He left no lesson plans, or any constructive direction, and there was nothing academically to do in the room. I turned to his aide to find out what they did all day, and he stated that the class worked a few worksheets then watch television or a movie. So what did I do? I found some worksheets, sight words, and books to read, and I made my own lesson plans. When Mr. Seal returned briefly, I went to him to explain what I had done, and showed him some of the children’s work that I had kept for him to see. Mr. Seal showed his true colors and proceeded to play on the internet, with his back to the children. As for the children, they were watching television. It was like he wanted nothing to do with the children let alone teach them, but he knew he was getting paid on the 15th of the month. I went to the principal about the situation, and the principal had the television removed from the classroom then brought in an interim teacher to help the children get caught up with the other children. I have chosen to be a special education teacher and focus on the elementary age students. I am positive I have what it takes mentally and physically to become a successful teacher. I want to teach the children the basics in life like colors, numbers, feelings, letters, social interactions with peers and taking care of themselves. I want to see them succeed at every aspect of their lives. A teacher holds the key to unlock a child’s world and have that child talk for the first time. Anyone can be a teacher, but I strive to become that teacher. When I graduate, I will be the first in my family to graduate college with an educational background. I was inspired to embark on this late adventure in life all because of Mrs. Kristie Lemon’s success and the failure of Mr. Seal. Mrs. Lemons is the driving force to give me enough courage in myself to grow as a person and a teacher. In conclusion, I have chosen my profession from all the life lessons I have learned from teachers I have assisted. My biggest lesson was the two consecutive years that I worked at my place of employment with the worst of the worst teacher to the best of the best teacher. I hope to inspire someone the way Mrs. Lemons inspires me, and I will work hard to be the best teacher I can be.