It Never Gets Old
Bringing attention to the great things that students and teachers accomplish– well, it’s certainly not something that I will apologize for. Even if it puts me at risk of redundancy. Since it just never gets old to write about the talent and expertise of Springfield teachers, I’m using a little time on a snowy day to share something I discovered in the Ohio Journal of English Language Arts (OJELA). Under the heading of “Joyful Learning: Finding Moments of Inspiration and Renewal,” I found a story written by Springfield High School English language arts teacher Kristin Stanfill.
For those who follow this column, her name will sound pretty familiar, as she also was mentioned in last week’s column for her efforts to motivate student Sara Wong to trust her talent and enter a writing contest (in which she has thus far achieved regional honors and is awaiting the next round of judging). Mrs. Stanfill used her own substantial writing talents to submit for publication in OJELA, “Trusting Teenagers: My Pandemic Journey of Experimentation.”
I can’t do her effort justice in a short summary–it deserves a full read, so go to hollandsfj.us and click on the link so that you, too, can be impressed by the thoughtful, intentional philosophy that she brings each day to her students. Clearly, whether she has the chance to be with them in-person or virtually, she mirrors the dedication that I see everyday in Springfield High School classrooms. I saw this same commitment from teachers to students, too, when I was the principal at Holloway Elementary School. I talk a lot, to be sure, about the culture of service and caring that resonates in Springfield students. I hope I also spotlight the knowhow and skill employed by all Springfield’s educators. What they do gets students to dig deeper to find a knowledge that surpasses course content. The authenticity teachers like Kristin Stanfill bring to their students each day is special, and we’re all better for it.
So, I’ll say it again– Springfield teachers are some of the best in the business. It will never get old to say that, nor to thank them for all that they do.
