It's not until you really think about it that you realize how much teachers can have an effect on you. Some people go through bad experiences with teachers where it will make them never forget. I know that I can think of a couple of teachers who really made me feel put down and not good enough. From ridiculous comments such as, "your brain is not as developed as the other students" or "you aren't very good at writing and do not belong in my class," it can break or discourage you from doing what you love and are passionate about. These teachers soon realized their comments didn't break me. I didn't drop out of the class and it didn't stop me from trying as hard as I can. It only made me want to prove these teachers wrong. It motivated me to do better, the opposite of what you think would have happened after hearing comments like these.

Looking back at these memories, I'm proud of myself because I am succeeding in college and I wonder what they would think of that now. It also makes me think about the teachers that helped me become the person that I am today. I honestly can't thank these teachers enough.

I am one of those students who is quiet in class and loud and crazy outside of school. I did my work, but never really put in a lot of effort if it was a class I didn't like such as math or science. English was and always will be my favorite class. I love to read and write. It didn't matter that I wasn't in the AP Honors classes. I loved all the material taught in these classes, however, I would definitely pass on poems and Shakespeare.

I remember a particular teacher who took the time to write the nicest comments on my essays telling me how I was a great writer. I looked forward to this class every day my freshman year. She loved my creative writing stories and said that my writing was inspiring. I even joined her after-school club for the Jane Austen Society. She helped me to see what my real passion was and still is to this day.

There was also another teacher who comes to mind who helped inspire me to become a teacher. I enrolled in many of her classes because I knew that I always wanted to be a teacher. She taught Child Psychology and the education classes where you got the opportunity to teach in the Universal Pre-K classroom in our high school. She taught us all about lessons and ideas for teaching. She was the one who first taught me how to write a lesson plan. I loved teaching in the Pre-K classroom where my group and I would come up with a lesson, make a lesson plan, and teach it to the kids. I remember this teacher always complimenting me on my lesson plan ideas and telling me that I am going to be a great teacher one day.

When I look back on the teachers that I had throughout the years, there are always the teachers who made me question my skills and the teachers who helped me to discover my passions. To the teachers who made ridiculous comments to me and didn't think that I was good enough, I would just like to say thank you. You helped motivate me to get the opportunity to prove you wrong. I would also like to thank the teachers who supported me. Through your support, I am able to continue to explore my passions of writing and teaching. I am able to look at my future knowing that I can succeed with hard work as I am in my senior year of college. I strive to be a great teacher like the ones that believed in me. I will also try to inspire my students to be the best that they can be.