“ Mrs . Graham inspired me to invest in others like she invested in me . ”
Maggie :
G rowing up in Bolivia , South America , I attended Carachipampa Christian School . Once my family moved back to the States , I attended King ’ s Academy from 7th-12th grade . I graduated from the University of South Carolina in 2014 with a BA in Public Health and a minor in Spanish . Now that I am a college graduate and have had more than 60 teachers since kindergarten both internationally and stateside , I ’ ve realized that I ’ ve been so fortunate to have some really incredible teachers throughout my life . There is a group , however , that will always stand out in my mind . No matter how many years go by , I will never forget them or the life lessons they taught me . Mrs . Laura Graham is one of those teachers that 30 years from now , when we run into each other at Harris Teeter , I know she will still remember my name , and I know I will never forget hers . That means everything to me . Mrs . Graham inspired me to invest in others like she invested in me .
Even before I was actually in high school , I remember being excited at the thought of one day having Mrs . Graham as my teacher . I first met her was when I was in the 7th grade ; my older sister was a junior in high school at the time and had her for Chemistry . Mrs . Graham wasn ’ t officially my Chemistry teacher until my junior year , but I had previously served as her “ assistant ” for sometime during my sophomore year . When I had a free block , I would go to her class and help her organize files , clean beakers / instruments , and pretty much help her with anything she needed . The fact that when I was only in 7th grade and was already excited for her to be my teacher 4 years later says a lot about Mrs . Graham , not just as a teacher , but also as a person ! I already knew her to be so genuinely kind , encouraging and helpful . I just knew that she was going to be an incredible teacher ... and she most definitely was ! Watching Mrs . Graham teach was inspiring !
It was obvious how much she enjoyed what she was doing , which made learning the topic more enjoyable for her students . I know for a fact that I wouldn ’ t have enjoyed it as much had my teacher been someone other than Mrs . Graham . I enjoyed Chemistry because of her ! Mrs . Graham was my ideal teacher for many reasons , but mostly because she was so approachable . I felt completely comfortable coming to her for questions or asking for further explanations . From the very first day of Chemistry , Mrs . Graham inspired me to think and to learn . She not only encouraged her students , but she also pushed each of us to expand our way of thinking . She welcomed different learning types and tried her best to accommodate each one . She was strict , yet fair . I knew exactly what she expected out of me ; she had very high standards . She knew we could do more than we thought we could . Her teaching style was very fast paced , but she always made time for her students , making sure everyone was keeping up . Mrs . Graham also had a lot of patience . I thought I was a good student until Chemistry hit me in the face like a brick wall ! Even when I struggled with the subject , she never forgot about me . She realized how tough Chemistry can be for some students , so her patience made her the perfect teacher to help these students ( like me !) because she never left us in the dark . She would continue to teach a topic until it clicked for every single student . If it wasn ’ t clicking in class , she ’ d have us stay afterwards for extra help . She never “ spoon fed ” us , but instead she encouraged us to try and figure it out on our own . I didn ’ t always like this method , but I grew to appreciate it in the end because it helped me understand and grasp the topic that much more . I always thought of her as my living , breathing
Chemistry for Dummies guide ! I was well prepared for my college Chemistry class , and I can say with 100 % confidence it was because of her .
Outside of just Chemistry alone , I learned so many valuable life lessons from her . I came to realize that not knowing everything and not being the best is okay ! There will always be competition in life , and being forced out of your comfort zone will only allow you to become stronger in the end . I never minded asking questions or being vocal in class , but I never had to get out of my “ comfort bubble ” until Chemistry . It was the first time I really struggled with a subject , which meant I had to be vulnerable in front of my classmates . Mrs . Graham encouraged me to get outside my comfortable little box , to be vulnerable , to ask questions when I didn ’ t understand , and to be patient with others . Through this , she gave me confidence . She helped me believe in myself and taught me to be the best version of myself . I held all other teachers to a standard--her standard--which helped me appreciate all the good teachers I already had and would continue to have in college . I have tried to carry these life lessons with me ever since .
Because students spend the majority of their week at school , teachers have a huge opportunity to make a positive impact on their lives ! I believe the teachers that go beyond the duties of just their job description alone have the greatest influence and will be remembered most by their students . I had teachers , both in school and college , that were not only my teachers , but also my friends and mentors ; so , I could go to them with any issues I had . Knowing that while the advice I received was not always want I wanted to hear , it was out of love and , most likely , it was what I needed to hear . Teachers teach more lessons than they realize both inside and outside of the classroom . I am forever thankful for the ones that went above and beyond the “ call of duty ,” just like Mrs . Graham always did .
University of South Carolina graduate Maggie Jackson currently resides in Florence , South Carolina . She has worked at McLeod Health as a Healthcare Recruiter since September 2014 . continued
SHEMAGAZINE . COM AUGUST 2017 133