A few weeks ago, a former student of mine reached out about helping her with her senior narrative. I helped her edit, and this is what she came up with. It is beautiful, and teachers, this is who you are to our students who need you so desperately. Teach on, warriors, and enjoy this narrative about an innovative and wonderful teacher I had the pleasure to work with for years! ______________________________________
When I was eleven, I had long brown hair, wore my favorite pair of sparkly earrings, and my book bag weighed as much as I did. I picked out my outfit the night before the first day of school; I put on my favorite pink Converse shoes, a brand new shirt, and slipped on my new high top shoes.
I entered my first day of sixth grade with a ball of nerves in the pit of my stomach. I didn’t feel old enough to be in middle school, but here I was, all full of hormones that I didn’t know what to do with, and still feeling like I should go back to elementary school.
The day went by in a blur of procedures, syllabi, and anxiety. The only time during the day that seemed to come into crystal clear focus is when she walked in and introduced herself to our 6th hour drama class.
“Hello Class,” her blue eyes sparkled with delight and mischief, “I’m Mrs. Stafford.” To me, she was like a dream, her face alight with passion and magic, and her hair put in a haphazard ponytail while wisps of her blonde hair stuck out all around her face. I loved her instantly.
Throughout that first year of middle school, Mrs. Stafford’s class was the only hour of the school day I anticipated with great enthusiasm. Her classroom, decorated with sparkles and sequins, was my favorite place to be, and I often asked my other teachers if I could do my work in her room – which didn’t work as often as I would have liked. Like clockwork, every morning, I would stop by her room to announce my presence to her; so much so that she had it perfectly timed almost every time!
My last day of 6th grade came in a flash and I found myself wishing to not go on summer break because I would miss my routine, but most of all, I would miss Ms. Stafford. The months of summer break felt like they were taking an eternity, and when it was finally time to go back to school, I couldn’t have been more ecstatic. I got to see my favorite teacher again! And there she was on the first day of school anticipating my arrival. She gave me the biggest hug, and I felt home in her presence.
7th grade was a very different experience for me than my 6th grade year. I was older, my body was filling out, and I had even more hormones rushing through me than before! Middle school is a tumultuous time in the lives of students and it was no different for me.
Each day in the student drop-off line of the school those first few days, I rambled endlessly to my mom about how this was going to be the best year yet, but I could not have been more wrong. 7th grade was rough!
My attitude got me in trouble quite often, but instead of my teachers sending me to the office, they’d send me to Ms. Stafford’s room because they knew that she’d fix whatever was going on and send me back like I had never been snarky in the first place; I was there more than I’d like to admit. To my parents and other teachers, I was seen as the rebellious teenager filled with attitude, but what they didn’t know was that I was fighting battles that were much bigger than most students my age. They didn’t take the time to see anything other than the ornery kid that stood in front of them, but Mrs. Stafford did.
In such a short timespan, she learned more about me and my life than anyone else ever had. She was the person that I could be my truest self with, good and bad parts combined, and before I knew it, she saved me and became my hero when I was going through the worst time of my life. She listened as I struggled to end my relationship with my biological father, and she understood and helped me through a place of severe depression. Living with extreme depression is scary at any age, but being only thirteen and having to navigate those waters seemed insurmountable. But Ms. Stafford saw me, and I would not be here today if it was not for her walking beside me in a time of hardship and trouble.
My behavior took a nosedive, and when everyone else saw a petulant teenager, Ms. Stafford treated me like a human being, and still managed to make me feel like I was important and that I mattered to someone, even if it was only her. I learned a lot from her that year. Anything from acting tips to learning various coping skills that I could use when I felt like I couldn’t continue living my life, she was the one to step in and help me through.
One evening, I was sitting alone in my dark bedroom experiencing what I can only describe as one of the worst mental breakdowns I have ever lived to talk about. At this moment in time, it felt like my life was not worth living. My whole world felt like it was crumbling into tiny pieces, and I was terrified of the dark place I found myself in.
I knew in my heart of hearts who would help me, and I trembled as I reached out to Ms. Stafford. Despite it being way past her teaching contract hours, she answered my plea for help. She patiently talked me through what I was feeling and said something that I will remember for the rest of my life.
In her gentle, but magical Ms. Stafford, voice, she said, “Sweet girl, even the messy parts of life are worth living and loving,” referring to myself and loving everything that made me, me.
From that night forward, I lived by that statement in every way that I possibly could. I made it through my last year of middle school with a completely different mindset, and I truly was changed as a human being. I learned to be loving and caring, not only for myself, but for everyone else as well, and to always put every ounce of my effort into anything that I did, which is why I am so hardworking and dedicated to the things I do today as a senior in high school.
As I get older, I often find myself reminiscing about the past and realizing how much I have changed as a person, from being a nervous, little 6th grader to being an adult in only two short months, who is still very much nervous for what life has planned for her in the future. But to this day, I will forever tell people MY story and how Ms. Stafford saved my life and helped to form me into the person that others see today. Ms. Stafford has made the biggest impact on me and will forever be a valuable part of life for as long as I shall live. Even the messy parts of life are worth living.
-LS
Katie Kinder 