It's been quite a while since I attended this school, but there are still things my teachers taught me that I carry with me today.
Mr. Higgins, my science teacher, had a rule that everyone had to raise their hand, even if we didn't know the answer. If he called on us and we didn't know, we were taught to say, "I don't know yet." That has genuinely stuck with me. I've brought that same mindset into my workplace, and it's amazing how much of a difference those three little letters can make. Not knowing something doesn't mean you can't learn it. I really hope Mr. Higgins is still teaching, and if he has moved on, I hope that mindset has continued with the teachers who came after him.
Ms. Holloway was an amazing English teacher and someone I'll always remember. She knew how to build real rapport with her students and make you feel comfortable in her classroom. Even after all this time, I still remember the way she connected with us and how much I looked up to her.
Ms. Patricia, my ceramics teacher, taught me another lesson I've carried with me. She was very clear about the boundaries in her classroom and held us to them, while still giving us plenty of freedom to be ourselves and be creative. As I've gotten older, I've realized how important that was. There is freedom within boundaries, but you have to respect where the line is.
These all seem like such small things when you're sitting in a middle school classroom, but they ended up having a real impact on how I approach life today. I'm grateful I went to a school with teachers who taught lessons that went far beyond the classroom. read more