Dedicated. This single word describes my all-time favorite teacher, Brenda Schmidt. She was more than an educator; she was a mother, she was a mentor, and most importantly she was a friend. I have never had a teacher that I connected with on a personal level and felt comfortable going to with problems I had outside of school. But Ms. Schmidt was someone who cared about me not just as a student, but as a person.
Ms. Schmidt was my fifth and sixth grade teacher at Merton Intermediate School. She also took over for my kindergarten teacher when she left for maternity leave. And she did it all. She taught us everything from how to properly dissect a cow eye to when to use personal pronouns. She was like Google--knowledgeable in every topic. Ms. Schmidt loved to teach such a wide variety of subjects as she had a passion for each topic she covered.
During my middle school years, I struggled with school-related anxiety. I would worry about an upcoming test or the homework I needed to complete. Ms. Schmidt was the one teacher who was able to help me relax and reassure me that everything was alright. I recall a time when I was stressed out over a test and she pulled me into the hallway and showed me I received an A. She gave me a warm, motherly embrace and told me that I was smart and didn’t need to worry. Her comforting words gave me the reassurance that I was good enough and I was able to succeed outside of the classroom as well. I became more confident in my extra-curricular activities and believed in myself as a student.
While I was in seventh and eighth grades, I would spend part of my study hall in Ms. Schmidt’s familiar classroom, helping her any way I could. Often times, I would correct papers, help hang posters or student projects in the hallway, or even answer her student’s questions about what it was like to be an eighth grader. When she didn’t have anything for me to work on...we would chat and reminisce about the days when I was her student. Those are memories I will never forget.
Ms. Schmidt is the definition of the perfect teacher. She made learning enjoyable and exciting while keeping a close relationship with each and every one of her students. She was accommodating to all of her students. Most importantly, she loved and cared about every student as if they were her own children. Ms. Schmidt inspired me to pursue my dream of someday becoming a teacher that is half as good as she was.