I remember walking into my old stomping grounds for the last time as a brand-new, overly excited, 4th grade student in Mrs. Miller's room, that this was going to be the. best. year. ever.
Since the moment I stepped foot into Diane Miller's room that crisp September morning, my world changed forever.
I was a small child with skinny little "bird legs" my parents liked to call them, with no hips that jeans would just slide right off. I was a leggin'-wearing, gap tooth-grinning, front-bangs swinging, and too much spunk-in-my-step, nine year-old.
I loved school. I loved homework. I loved being social. I loved the atmosphere, but in all reality, school was hard. I wasn't the best reader. I was a whole grade-level behind, but I didn't care. I wanted to read the tough books all the books the other students read, but it was hard.
I remember crying when I couldn't read Garfield because it was all in capital letters and in a comic strip format. It was difficult because I didn't know which speech bubble or caption box to read first. I remembers the tears streaming down my hot face as I cried in my mama's lap begging her to just read it for me. I remember reading was hard and I never thought I was going to be able to overcome that mountain.
Now, as I sit in Mrs. Miller's class that first day of school, I knew something was different. She smiled brighter than most teachers. She expected more than most teachers. And most of all, I thought she loved more that most teachers.
As I reflect back on this time in the Fall of 1999, there was some something different about Mrs. Miller, but at the time I couldn't put my finger on it. I didn't know why I liked her so much. There was no monumental lesson that I remember. Or an epic field trip that was one for the books. There was no all-school assembly to recognize her as the best teacher in the whole building (even though I think she deserves that).
There is only one simple answer to why I liked her so much.
And that is....she believed in me.
Mrs. Miller believed I was smart. She believed that I was capable. She believed that I could do better. She believed in my abilities. She believed in my heart, in who I was as a person. She believed that I was important. She believed that I was unique. She believed in me.
This act didn't just happen once. It was a conscious choice that she made each and every single day. She chose to love me, encourage me, support me, challenge me, and believe in me in good days and bad days.
This daily act of kindness changed the direction of who I was and who I wanted to become. I wanted to be just like Mrs. Miller when I grew up. I wanted to be a teacher, because she inspired me in ways that I am still finding out about today.
I truly believe that teaching is a profession that can change the world. Education is the key to the future. I know that my world was changed the moment I stepped into that 4th grade classroom. I knew I wanted to be a teacher then and I haven't looked back since.
I am about to start my fifth year of teaching and I know I wouldn't be teaching today if it wasn't for Diane. She inspired me all the way back in 1999 and she is still teaching and inspiring more students today. To her, I have nothing but gratitude, appreciate, and thankfulness in my heart.