Friday, February 14, 2014

Letter to a Teacher (Journal 9)


Dear Deanna,

You are goddess, teacher, wise woman, mentor, friend.  I am blessed to have had the opportunity to work with you and learn from you.  I would not be the teacher I am today without your encouragement, your investment, and your willingness to challenge me to achieve tasks that I didn't know I could achieve.  You pushed me to find balance, both in the classroom and in my personal life.  You exuded excellence and quietly demanded it in return.  You always held me to high standards, expecting me to reach for and surpass them.  You knew me, knew my perfectionism, my drive, and my mistakes.  You had made many of the same mistakes yourself and allowed me to profit from your experience.  You were a sounding-board when I most needed it.  You were my best (and harshest) critic; I always knew you would tell me the truth – no matter how brutal.  But I also knew that if I had accomplished something that garnered your praise I truly deserved it.  Thank you so very much for being the teacher that showed me, more than graduate school ever could, how to truly be a teacher.  You continue to be an inspiration to me.  I miss you.

Sincerely,

Stephanie Hendrix

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