When I first walked into Eleanor Bolender 's classroom I felt strangely out of place. I had sat there myself just last year, but it seemed as if ages had passed. The only things that felt familiar were the scent of lilac in the air, and the sound of coffee brewing in the corner. Although I had already taken her class, I wanted to get her perspective on the day-to-day life of a high school English teacher. After conducting the interview, I learned that a career in this field will demand more time and planning than I originally thought.
I asked Mrs. Bolender what skills, abilities, and personal attributes are essential to success in this field. After taking a moment to consider everything she said, "I believe you need to have passion for your work. You will only know so much by graduation, but I urge you to never stop learning. Be persistent. Know that forgiveness is used every single day whether it is forgiving a student, coworker, parent, or even yourself." This made me question what passion really was. Merriam-Webster defines passion as an intense, driving, or overmastering feeling or conviction. Luckily for me English has always been the subject that I engaged with most intensely throughout my education.
My next request was about rewards. Not necessarily monetary, plaque, or certificate, but rather personal bonuses throughout Eleanor 's teaching years. I was told, "The obvious answer for most teachers is student-based. I think that is very valuable: watching a student