My Favorite Teacher Tuesday

1st Grade Teacher, Ms. Garrett

In my thirteen years of public education, I had two favorite teachers; Mr. Nelson and Mrs. Palmer.

I was raised in a little farming community in southern Utah until I was ten. My family then made a move to St. George, where we lived for several years. Little did I know that I was about to have a huge turning point in my life. I owe my teaching career and educational philosophy to Mr. Nelson, my sixth grade teacher. He was a patient and caring teacher who accepted where I was at academically and never made me feel "less than". I had always struggled with math and reading throughout my elementary years, until sixth grade. I was a "very late academic bloomer" who also happened to have been THE youngest student in my class. I remember Mr. Nelson taking extra time with me explaining, drawing, and explaining again how to solve math problems. No matter how many times it took him, he would hang in there until I understood the concept. A lot of praise and encouragement was given to me after each of our side-by-side sessions. Mr. Nelson was the first teacher to really understand my learning styles. He also spent extra time working with me in reading teaching new words, and strategies, for me to be able to read above grade level by the end of the year. I not only went from being one of, it not THE, lowest students in the classroom to being just the opposite. But more than accomplishing my improved ranking amongst my peers, I left sixth grade with confidence in myself...all because I had known the feelings of success and the firm belief that Mr. Nelson new I could accomplish ANYTHING!

After that, my family moved about an hour away to Cedar City. So when I had Mrs. Palmer for one of my Jr. High school English teachers, I thought I'd learn more about nouns, verbs, prepositions, and poetry. However, Mrs. Palmer had some unusual teaching tricks up her sleeves. I remember that year she had arranged two field trips, to the local college, to listen and watch the Utah Symphony and Ballet West! I had never been to either type of performance before, and I don't know if I had ever been exposed to them through television either. Before attending the symphony, I remember her challenging us to listen and to see what instruments were making the various sounds and notes throughout its performance. She also talked to us about how the music could make us feel all kinds of emotions, and she encouraged us to be open and sensitive to those feelings. As the performance began, I had no idea what a life changing moment I was about to experience. As I felt the music vibrate throughout my body, I was mesmerized by the precision of movement made by the members of the symphony and the varied sounds that came out of their instruments. Of course, we then used that experience as a launch for much of our writing that quarter.

In preparation for the ballet, Mrs. Palmer talked about all of the hours of training dancers went through to make it into such a great company. She also explained how even though there were no words in the dances we would watch, the dancers would be telling us a story with their steps, arms, and expressions. I remember sitting in the auditorium in complete awe as the music filled the entire room and the dancers seemed to float on air.  Again, this performance was what set up the foundation for another writing experience.

Yes, that year I learned a lot about grammar and mechanics that year, but I learned to have a lifelong enjoyment, appreciation, and love for the fine arts. Quite an accomplishment for a little girl from a farming community.