Day 191- October 1- Sharon Morgan

Sharon was in my first and most scary class ever back in 2003. The dreaded Sec. 2 Social Studies class. Full of hormones, missing their teacher, Jane, from the year before, wild, old, and a pretty big class by northern standards, 18 students officially registered at the start of the year. I only taught them 4 times a week, but they struck fear in me. Some of the boys were 17 and 18 years old, and I was only 23 at the time. One had a budding mustache and one had a name that took me a month to remember how to say well- Qaajui. Everything about this class made me shake and feel nervous. :)

We made it through and I learned a lot from them about the north, about classroom management, about the teacher persona, about how to be fair, but firm, how to earn respect and how to give it. When I think back, I had the time of my life with those kids. I figured out ways that worked, I learned all the bad words in Inuktitut and how to solve the problem of students arriving in class without pencils. I think that they made me the teacher I am today and I am very grateful to that year... Sharon was one of the wonderful students that I still think back on fondly. She had strength, beauty and a willingness to stand up for herself and not to be pushed around, that I still admire today. She has since gone places and done some pretty incredible things because of that personal strength and drive. I'm proud to think I might have had a hand in that, even it might have only been a small part. Thanks for the picture, Sharon!!




Theme Song for today: Tell 'Em by Sleigh Bells