From when we first enter preschool to when we finally graduate high school, teachers are there to guide us along the way and point us in the right direction like guardian angels. They motivate, inspire, and provide us with an arsenal of knowledge to use in the future. Like us, though, they’re not big fans of school or having to grade papers every day. We all know that one grumpy teacher whose lectures just suck the life out of you.

Amid our busy school activities and long classes, there’s always the teacher whose class you always look forward to and genuinely enjoy learning in. For me, it was Mrs. van Haaster, my seventh grade humanities teacher. Throughout the pandemic, it was a struggle for us all to adjust to the new life indoors. Feeling disconnected from the outside world, my motivation dropped, and so did my grades. I didn’t want to try in school anymore, as there was really no point.

It was at this time that I really started to appreciate Mrs. van Haaster and the bright smiles she’d give every day. She would always teach with an eager expression that made all of us smile along with her, and the online Google Meet was never boring or tiring to sit through. Mrs. van Haaster put in the effort to teach all of us the best she could even through a computer, making each of us participate in the class and creating a great learning environment for us. She explained each topic we learned in great depth, really immersing us in the things we learned. I truly appreciate how she paid attention to each and every student, always being so understanding and supportive.

One thing I remember she would occasionally do was play encouraging videos for us to help us get through the week and then discuss the topics such as mental health or general well-being. Although it was small, it really mattered because it showed how much Mrs. van Haaster cared about us and wanted us to learn and grow. She would also have us talk about how our weekends went to the rest of the class, which was fun because it helped us learn more about each other and get to know each other better. 

Mrs. van Haaster was one of the teachers who really made distance learning a positive experience for me. Every day, she taught with the utmost enthusiasm and dedication and has made a lasting impression as one of the best teachers I’ve ever had. Thank you, Mrs. van Haaster, for always being so positive and caring to us.