English sucks. No matter who you ask, it’s rare to hear a high school student say they enjoy their English class. Sophomore year was no different for me. Walking in my classroom the first day, I had a pessimistic expectation of my English class.
It’s funny how things change so quickly, and I have Ms. Sharp to thank for that. Ms. Sharp is like a butler – she’s prim and proper when she needs to be, but completely different when no one is looking. She is by far the most bizarre, quirky, and entertaining person I have ever met – and at the same time, she was my hardest and most challenging teacher. Her expectations were high, and her tolerances were low. Students needed to be sitting in their seat when the bell rang; otherwise they were marked late. Every assignment needed to be turned in on time, or you faced a harsh grade penalty when it was eventually turned in. In no way, shape, or form was this class easy.
Strangely, her strict classroom policy did not reflect on to her personality, or on the way she interacted with her students. Ms. Sharp made English enjoyable while making it miserable. Kind of a mind-twister, isn’t it? I remember sitting in class being completely clueless about what we were talking about, but I couldn’t help but be interested. Whether they liked it or not, it was obvious that she loved her students, and somehow managed to compel them to succeed in her class. Because of this, we were constantly pushed to work harder and be better at everything we did. I think the best part about Ms. Sharp was her ability to show respect to her students. If you respected her and her position as a teacher, then she respected you and your position as a student.
Ms. Sharp was my first teacher that I looked forward to seeing in my high school career. Thanks to her class and personality, my sophomore year wasn’t a total drag. I honestly felt like I was being taught useful information that I could relate to my daily life. Because of this, I am nominating Ms. Sharp to be the Educator of the Year.