Ruralite Cafe: Published 05/23/02

By Lynn Hotaling - Associate Editor

Young 'pioneers' ready for their journey

A little background is probably in order. Teacher Cadets is a new North Carolina program aimed at giving high school students an opportunity to explore the possibility of a teaching career before heading off to college. This year's inaugural class learned some fundamentals of teaching and learning styles, a little psychology, observed classes in local elementary school and completed a three-week field experience that was similar to student teaching.

Sitting in the SMHS library Monday night with other proud parents, teachers and friends while Timara Barker, Jessica Sellers, Ellen Hotaling, Pamela Beasley and Matt Boud expounded on what they had learned, I found myself thinking about the teachers who set the stage for this week's teacher cadet recognition and celebration.

I'm not talking about retiring SMHS English teacher Dee Grantham, who led the cadets through their studies, though her contributions were legion and her inspiration invaluable.

Nor am I referring to current teachers Ann Bembry, Lora Mount, Leslie Dougherty, Kelli Watson and Angie Sims, who supervised the cadets' classroom experiences at Fairview, Cullowhee Valley and Scotts Creek, though their support and encouragement gave the five cadets experience and self-confidence they will carry with them into college and beyond.

The teachers who really instigated Monday's program, which saluted the accomplishments of five bright young people, are the ones who inspired Ellen, Timara, Jessica, Pamela and Matt to want to become teachers themselves.

I wish I knew all their names, and I wish they all could have been with us to see their former pupils shine.

Looking at the five teacher cadets and seeing their enthusiasm for their chosen career, I knew there was a long line of teachers standing behind each one. Because Ellen's teachers are the ones I know, they're the ones I'll use as examples of the difference teachers make, day after day and year after year, through a child's school life.

Every kindergartner should be lucky enough to have a Theresa Brown directing their first year of school. Ellen was happy all year as Mrs. Brown read to her and her classmates, played games with them and started them along the path that would lead to their high school graduation.

Linda Hooper was a master of organization and inspiration. In her second-grade classroom children read nonfiction and loved it. They learned about the Titanic, earthquakes, volcanos and other fascinating stuff. Every Friday was science day, and Ellen always came home excited about the experiment of the day. Mrs. Hooper was the guardian angel who realized Ellen couldn't read and then resolved that difficulty through one-on-one after-school tutoring sessions that helped Ellen catch up with her classmates.

With fourth grade came Joyce Reed, who, like Mrs. Brown, is now retired. She inspired Ellen to do good work and stimulated an interest in North Carolina history that has persisted throughout Ellen's school days.

Fifth-grader Ellen learned from Kris Bates that math was not a subject to be feared. Mrs. Bates also showed Ellen, a reluctant reader, that books could be OK. By letting her students pick out the books they read and choose from a variety of book report options (describe a character, tell the story, make a mobile, draw a picture, make a puppet, just to name a few), Mrs. Bates helped Ellen learn that reading is fun.

Carol West, Carolyn Wike, Glenda Barnes, Leslie Dougherty, Lora Mount and Jack Collins guided Ellen through those troubling seventh- and eighth-grade years. They put up with a lot, and they gave Ellen and her classmates a firm foundation for high school.

A number of Ellen's high school teachers were on hand Monday night. Two of her English teachers, Tinnie Salzano and Pam Preston, who, along with Julie Gentry, managed to coax a hesitant, grammar-challenged writer into a competent, creative one, were there. Also present were her biology teacher, Kim Corzine, and one of her history teachers, Mary Ann Barker.

Ellen was fortunate in having teachers who came to work every day with a real desire to guide and encourage their students, and I'm sure Timara, Jessica, Pamela and Matt did also.

"To teach is to reach," is the quote printed on Monday night's program. Because so many great teachers reached out to these five young adults, they are now ready to embark on similar careers.

Ellen and Timara are headed for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Jessica will study at UNC-Greensboro, Matt is bound for East Tennessee State and Pamela will pursue her dreams at Western Carolina University.

As they begin the journey that will likely lead to teaching careers, all their former teachers will be with them in spirit, offering encouragement and radiating pride.

Just like we were on Monday night.

Back to Archive: 05/23/02.