By Shelley Bennett
Last week was Teacher Appreciation Week and we had a wonderful celebration with lunches, coffee and donuts, snacks, yoga, massage, and meditation. Thank you to our Admin team, LCOE, and the LTA Sunshine Committee for all the activities!
It made me think of all the amazing teachers I’ve had over my life. I remember Mrs. Katie Myers in first grade who opened up my imagination. We all looked forward to story time after lunch.
Sitting on the carpet, my classmates and I were mesmerized when Mrs. Myers read to us in her Oklahoman-twang. She spun tales of James and the Giant Peach, Cricket in Times Square, and of course Charlotte’s Web. We were all in tears at the end of that one.
Mrs. Carol Carver nurtured my love of reading even more. I think I have mentioned her gravelly voice reading Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, The Bears Upstairs, and Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of N.I.H.M.
She always found a way to bring the book to life for us. If the characters in the book were treated to Cinnamon Bears, she brought them to us to try. If they folded Origami paper into boxes and other shapes, she taught us how.
In 5th grade, Mrs. Mary Rich welcomed us to Diamond View. She loved word puzzles, crafts, and cooking. We would try to stump her with words from the Dictionary, but she was hard to beat!
Her enthusiasm for games spilled over into creative lessons in the classroom. I remember making up songs and mnemonic devices with the help of my mom to memorize the capitol cities of foreign countries. (Your brother’s a pest when he is hungry = Budapest, Hungary)
Mrs. Sherrie Thornton and Mrs. Jenni Cesarin were the young teachers on staff. They took time to relate to us and this was the first time that I had thoughtful, challenging conversations with adults. Sherrie and Jenni were some of my first role models and made me think about teaching as a career.
Math started to be difficult for me. I struggled through 6th and 7th grade until I landed in Mrs. Gwen Smith’s classroom. She was patient, no-nonsense, and matter of fact. She very clearly explained concepts and could tell when and where I needed help.
Mrs. Smith was also the most impeccably dressed teacher I have ever had. I remember her kitten heels and slacks, sweater sets, silver jewelry and ubiquitous lipstick. She was professional yet approachable.
Mrs. Alice Goddard introduced me to Shakespeare with the reading of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Our study was capped by watching a live performance during our 8th grade trip. She taught us poetry and assigned us memorizations every month.
Because of this, when October rolls around, the line “When the frost is on the pumpkins and the fodders in the shock…” plays through my head. I also cannot read Robert Frost’s “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” without hearing her honeyed voice, “And miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep.”
I was blessed with some of the best teachers in Lassen County. I am made of pieces of them.
Also… don’t forget the Grizzliette Show is this Friday! Doors to the big gym will open at 6:30 and the show starts at 7:00. We will feature a special performance by the Lassen High Cheerleaders and are bringing back some of the Drill Team alumni to show off their sparkle.
Remember when news was ‘newsy’? When you read about weddings, family events and engagement announcements in the newspaper? If you have something that might be newsworthy, please submit it to [email protected] and I’ll do my best to include it here in “The Good Stuff.”
