School was a drag throughout the earliest years of elementary school, and there was no doubt it was a day full of play with a miniscule amount of learning. I liked school solely because I could be with friends for seven hours a day socializing, playing, and messing around (and not for its true purpose of gaining knowledge). But fourth grade at Swallow School with Mrs. Mallow completely changed the way I saw things.
Fourth grade was my favorite year in elementary school, and I actually came in every day excited. Walking into a classroom, I was greeted by a taller woman with a warm smile and kind eyes. She made it easy for me to feel comfortable. She also made me eager to participate in whatever fun-filled activities she had in store.
Mrs. Mallow taught in such a unique and well thought out way, and she managed to make every student feel important. At such a young age, that is one thing that really grabs kids’ attention. She was enthusiastic and interactive (with her random witch cackles while reading books around Halloween, being the amusing officer during our Ellis Island simulation, and making jokes about whatever we were learning about) which also kept us engaged and content. And best of all, she actually made me want to learn new things.
She was the perfect teacher. Whenever someone struggled with the material, or they acted abnormally, she would spot it out and fly in like Superman to make everything okay.
My parents got a divorce while I was in her class, and she knew something was wrong right away. She sat with me and helped me get my mind off of all the negatives. Because of this, her classroom became my safe place and I was able to enjoy my day.
She was persistent in making sure that every kid was happy, healthy, and learning. It seemed to me that all of that was more important than getting through the material. She genuinely cared about us as individuals like a mother, and she set the highest of standards.
She made learning easy by integrating peppy songs that got us bouncing around and singing along. Then she would calm us down with reading time or by telling a story that sparked our interest. I loved sitting on the vibrant rug in the front of the room and listening to her read novels like Al Capone Does My Shirts and so many others. Whether it was learning about bones, or about the foreign shapes of grade school geometry, there was never a dull moment.
A couple years after the fourth grade, I received a postcard from her in the mail with a picture of her and her husband standing at the top of a mountain in Colorado, and she included a small letter reminding me of how great of a student I had been in her class and how much fun our class was. That letter truly warmed my heart, and it just showed me her dedication. She put the students before anyone else, and that can be hard to find in schools.
I am nominating Mrs. Mallow for this award because I think she should be recognized for her career as an educator. I am positive that there are hundreds of kids out there who feel the same way as I do, and any teacher that can have such a tremendous impact on the lives of so many children should be recognized and awarded.
There will always be a spot in my heart for Mrs. Mallow, because after all, she made me part of the person I am today. She’s the one who pushed me to love learning and strive for greatness. She taught me values of life that I still have today, and made me a much better person also. Thank you, Mrs. Mallow.