In 9th grade Introduction to Literature, the students read the narrative essay “The Washwoman” by Isaac Bashevis Singer. To make this story come alive, Mrs. Jayawardene assigns her students the task of interviewing “stalwart” teachers at TCS. We are releasing the first in a series of four articles about Mrs. Leahy, Mr. Carroll, Miss Walker, and Mrs. Delmanto, written by these 9th grade students.
Introduction
Hebrews 6:10 says, “For God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.” This verse is a reminder that God doesn’t only see the work you do, but also the heart and effort you put into it. It encourages us to carry out our responsibilities with dedication, because our efforts are valued by God. Our group had the privilege of interviewing Mrs. Leahy. In the interview we asked questions about her work, and her experiences at TCS. The interview made it obvious how much passion and enthusiasm that she has towards her job and the work that she does. We greatly appreciate Mrs. Leahy for all she has done for the school, and for her dedication, kindness, and professionalism. She has left a lasting impact on the students she has taught and the staff who have had the chance to work alongside her. In this project, we wanted to show recognition to teachers like Mrs. Leahy, and the profound effect that they have on our lives. She has not only benefited the students academically, but also served as a positive influence, inspiring them to be their best selves both inside and outside the classroom.
Background and Information
In the story of “The Washwoman”, there is an old lady, who struggles to keep working but continues her work with all her might and does everything she was tasked to do. This woman was not appreciated by her rich son, who she loved very dearly, and she died trying to work hard and make money to live. We want to show our teachers appreciation so that we are not like the son in the story, but instead respect and appreciate our teachers for all that they have done for us. Our group interviewed Mrs. Leahy, a current math teacher who has been at Timothy for 12 years (working for 8 and a student for 4), and has had many students who have had the blessing of being her student. She is a very hardworking teacher who makes sure to take the time to help all of her students understand and take joy in her class. All of her sisters, and her husband, went to Timothy as well. At first, she taught English but now has transitioned into teaching math. Currently, she teaches 7th and 8th graders pre-algebra and algebra. She started her path at Timothy in high school and stayed for all 4 years, and then came back to work as a math and English teacher later on, and has been teaching math for most of that time.
Goals for the Interview
Our main objectives for the interview were to, of course, ask questions and take pictures. But just like in “The Washwoman” there are a lot of people who work tirelessly and dedicate large amounts of their time to something, but are still underappreciated, and that is what the stalwart teacher appreciation project is all about. It’s dedicated to celebrating the incredible educators who dedicate their lives to passing their knowledge down and working with the next generation. Teachers have a profound impact on our communities; they are mentors, they can inspire a love for learning, and they also play a large part in their students’ ethics and morals. They change the lives of millions of children every day, and it is important to show them how much they mean to us, so that was one of our other goals. To do that we designed a card for her as a symbol of our appreciation. We wanted her to know we notice how much work she puts in, and that we’re really thankful for everything that she does.
Summary of Response Given
After our interview with Mrs. Leahy, she told us her likes and dislikes throughout her career and education at Timothy. Her 12 years at this school have made her a respected and lovable teacher. She explained that throughout her high school years she felt like the school was very close-knit and family-like. She said she loved the atmosphere of it and the school in general. We asked her what some of her dislikes were, however, and she said that sometimes the school can be too strict at times, in some aspects this may be good by keeping students in order and doing what they were instructed to do, but in other situations this can be negative and too much on a student. She enforces rules and abides by them but not in a negative or mean demeanor, which is why so many students respect and like her. All in all, we appreciate and thank Mrs. Leahy and everything she has done for the Timothy Christian School community.
Conclusion
In conclusion, this project helps us to appreciate our teachers more, especially Mrs. Leahy. We deeply thank Mrs. Leahy for her contribution to the Timothy Christian community. Her work as a teacher was crucial to Timothy Christian School and without her, math would be a boring class. Her previous students that transitioned from middle school to high school say that she is one of their favorite teachers and loved being in her class. Mrs. Leahy was a great choice for our project, and we had an amazing time interviewing her.