I received a surprise blessing last week: I’m being hired by Manteo High School, my alma mater, to be an AVID tutor! The front office secretary left a message on my answering machine earlier this week to call back when I can and when I did, the principal asked me to come to the office. They said after the previous tutor said she couldn’t work this year, that I was their first choice to take her job. It’s kind of crazy and I’m worried that I’ll be really busy with two part-time jobs and being a full time student, but I told them my schedule and they seem flexible. I’ll be working Fridays through the whole school day with a previous AVID teacher of mine. Since I want to become an English teacher, it should be an eye-opener!
As I was reminiscing on the MHS website, I saw that the front page features my senior year AP Literature and Composition teacher, Mrs. Thomas, who is the 2013-2014 Teacher of the Year. She’s the teacher Mom had mentioned in this blog post who been among many motherly presences in the high school for me.
All four of my English teachers have had a profound influence on me and my desire to teach. But my English class from this year had both hardworking students who actually wanted to be in an honors class and a teacher I really connected with, a combination which I had never had so strongly before. It was my favorite class of my whole high school career.
It’s going to be so weird to be a kind-of-coworker with my old teachers, especially as before, I had only ever imagined being their coworker after earning my degree and being hired as an English teacher at Manteo. I won’t be on their level (pretty much like an intern), but I’ll see them in the teachers’ longue and in the hallways. It might be too soon to call teachers by their first names (I already know most of their first names… somehow). I guess it’ll be a thing of “Hi, Mr./Mrs. ______” “Oh, you can call me ______” if the teacher in question is less formal. Regardless of awkward social stuff, it’ll be really fun to see them all again. Also, I’ll get to wear a teacher badge and I’ll be called Miss Smith! That, my professional attire, and my new haircut should encourage my adult identity instead of my a-short-girl-who-graduated-from-high-school-this-year identity.
I’m looking forward to Friday!
CupfulOFeathers 
Congrats to you, Sarah Smith. I know you will enjoy the new experience.
Just stopping by to tell Miss Smith how proud I am of her! :-)
Sarah, oops, Miss Smith, Bless your heart!!! I’m so proud that you were chosen and, not only that, but were their FIRST CHOICE!!! How great is that?!? I’m sure you will do a wonderful job!!!
of course you were first choice! You are the best
How exciting for you!!! Way to go Miss Smith, all your hard work is paying off! Good luck on Friday!
Congratulations, Miss Smith!
Miss Smith, you will be the best tutor ever! Congratulations on your new job.
Congratulations Miss Smith. The school made an excellent choice.
Congrats! (Didn’t realize you have a blog too so I have added it to my dashboard!). The summer after my daughter finished 6th grade, she and I became VERY good friends with her 6th grade teacher. Her former teacher told her to start calling her by her first name and Mari said that was so weird-but she did get used to it. You will too!
So proud of you and happy for you! Love aunt deb
Congratulations, Sarah! What a great opportunity!
Your concern over what you’ll call your former teachers now that you’re their “kind-of-coworker” made me laugh. I’m in my early thirties , and STILL have trouble calling some of my teachers by their first names… even when they insist!
Congratulations Sarah, (I follow your Mom’s blog). I am 58 and reunited with my 3rd grade teacher on fb, I STILL call her Mrs., though she keeps telling me to call her by her first name, I just can’t do it!!
I so admire you and pray that my granddaughter will be half the daughter of God that you are! 😊
Congratulations Miss Smith! A perfect part time job for you. And a perfect adult identity encourager!!!
Congratulations, Miss Smith & the entire Smith Family! Sarah, you will make an awesome tutor & future teacher! The students you’ll begin to touch tomorrow, Friday, moving forward are certainly going to be forever blessed! What will your duties include? Will you work 1:1, w/ small groups, or in the classroom w/ the teacher?
I loved the 17 years I spent teaching (not including the 11 years prior to getting my degree)! I love hearing from students & parents past! It’s hard to wrap my mind around the fact that I have students that are doctors of all specialties, lawyers, teachers, mommies & daddies & so much more! When I’m feeling down I’ll pull out my keepsake box w/ pics that students drew over the years & letters of gratitude from parents & students! I used to to tell my students when they’d give me a special picture to make sure they signed & dated it so that when they became famous I could say, “I knew (insert child’s name) when!”
It takes a very special person to be a teacher & you Sarah, are as special as they come! I hope you use your story to inspire your students to work hard despite any obstacles they may encounter!
I (we, I’m sure) can’t wait to hear all about your first day on the other side of the desk @ Manteo High!
Love, Jodi
You will have the best time, Miss Smith. So proud. And I love your knew haircut.
Way to go Sarah! What an exciting opportunity. God is good! ! It’s a testimony to your character and work ethic that this was offered to you. I bet you will love it! It will give you hands on experience in a classroom environment. Hopefully it will confirm to you whether being an English teacher is the path you desire to continue your education and future career. One piece of advice I wish I had known at your age is that it is ok to change course. It sounds like being a teacher would be a wonderful fit for you. If it turns out, however, that you don’t love it, that is okay too, and just a sign to change course towards another goal. Hope you don’t mind the advice, it is something that would have helped me. Whatever you choose to do, I see you as doing well and having a high chance of success. Keep up the great work. You parents and brother must be so proud of you! !
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