By Sara Beeler
To mark National Teacher Appreciation Week I’d like to recognize Ms. Meagan Torres, my journalism teacher at Insight School of Washington for inspiring me to achieve my highest potential.
Ms. Torres embraces the fact that students have different writing styles and may approach topics from diverse points of view. She nurtures a love for writing and critical thinking skills. She gives accurate and personalized feedback on every piece I write.
It’s this feedback that that pushes me even further on the next assignment and that has carried over into my other classes. Since taking journalism with Ms. Torres, my writing has been transformed. I now approach essays for other classes, like government and sociology, with the same mindset I’d approach an article for Ms. Torres. This helps me to think through what I’m writing in a different way and form a cohesive essay that hits all the points I want to make.
Being in a virtual school, people tend to think that students can’t form connections with their teachers since they don’t meet in person every day. I have learned in both online and brick-and-mortar classrooms and know that while Ms. Torres is not physically in the room with me, when I do communicate with her I have her full attention. She is always available to answer my questions via phone, email, text or class connect sessions. Also, since our conversations are typically one-on-one, she is able to ask how I’m doing personally. She does not let the boundary the computer can present prevent her from creating real relationships with her students.
Ms. Torres also understands that writing can be personal and has never been judgmental of me. I know she supports me beyond my class with her; she’s not just focused on me passing her class, she’s focused on me reaching my full potential as an individual.
After graduation in June, I plan to attend Everett Community College to start working toward my RN degree with an ultimate goal of becoming a midwife. While my career choice may not include writing, I feel well-prepared for my college classes thanks to the writing abilities, critical thinking skills and work ethic that Ms. Torres has instilled in me.
I encourage everyone reading to think back to a teacher that made an impact in your life, or someone teaching your kids right now. Try to find a way to thank them for the way they’re changing lives for the better.
Sara Beeler is a 12th grader at Insight School of Washington, an online school. She lives in Marysville.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
