Most people can point to “that one teacher” who was there at just the right moment. For me, that teacher was Mrs. Freeman.
It was the beginning of second grade and first grade had been a challenge. My “achilles heel” was subtraction… I hated it and all things related to numbers. My general confidence was shaken, I was becoming quiet and withdrawn, and my parents were worried.
Enter Mrs. Freeman. She was nearing retirement and was having health issues, so she had been moved from the regular classroom to “Special Math”. Needless to say I was less than excited to visit her, but the moment I walked into her room I noticed something different. Her room became a place where I found success. She was warm yet challenging, patient and persistent. She slowly began to rebuild my shattered confidence and my love of learning. I visited her room twice a week for seven months, and the transformation was amazing.
In February, my homeroom teacher called my parents. I still remember eavesdropping on the conversation and the feeling of accomplishment I had when my mom told me that I no longer needed to go to special math anymore because I had the highest math grade in the entire second grade class. The only thing that made me sad was that I wouldn’t get to see Mrs. Freeman regularly anymore.
I can’t recount that story without tears and believe that God used that difficult, yet redemptive, season of my life to call me into education.
That’s what I want for the students of FRCS—I want Mrs. Freemen moments. And you know what? That’s what I see as I walk through the hallways everyday. Millions of tiny, beautiful, redemptive moments as teachers challenge, encourage, instruct and guide. I invite you to experience it, too. Walk the halls with me and see for yourself the difference “that one teacher” can make.
