Compassion

            When I think “compassionate teacher” the first person that always comes to mind is Mrs. Thirkell. She taught calculus at my high school and I had the opportunity to take calculus with her my senior year. I had heard stories about the difficulties of that class, but whether I talked to the math guru or to the person who barely survived calculus, they all finished by saying the exact same thing. “Mrs. Thirkell is great. She’ll do whatever it takes to help you learn.” From the first day of class, I could tell that my peers were right in their judgment of this incredible math teacher.

            I have always been a good math student but I have never enjoyed the subject. And calculus turned out to be the bane of my existence senior year. Never before had I struggled so much to understand an academic concept. I was completely frustrated, overwhelmed, and a little ashamed that I simply couldn’t get calculus to make any sense in my brain. I was almost ready to give up and transfer to another math or at least accept that my grade would be terrible in that class.

            But luckily, Mrs. Thirkell is one of the most attentive, understanding people on the entire planet. Despite having incredibly full classes and over 100 calculus students who all demanded her attention, she still took the time to personally talk to me about my struggles in that class. After a particularly bad test, she asked if I would stay after school and talk to her about it. When I explained my frustration and anxiety, she immediately offered to help me any way she could and for however long I needed until I understood whatever concept eluded me. Never before had I had a teacher who took such a personal interest in my success. And she didn’t just care about my performance in calculus; she wanted to know about my family, my interests, and my plans for the future. I knew I could trust her and that she wouldn’t be condescending toward my lack of calculus knowledge. With her help, I was able to pass the class and end my high school career with an appreciation for math, even if I still didn’t enjoy doing it. I truly believe that Mrs. Thirkell’s compassionate nature, endless patience, and love and care she had for each individual student is the only reason I passed calculus. I take her example to heart and hope to be that sort of teacher for my students one day.