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Sharon M. Draper Essay

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A teacher, a friend, a counselor, someone who understands you, and someone who has been there are some ways to describe Sharon M. Draper. Draper is an award winning author that has graced the youth of today with writings that deal with the everyday problems and joys, that as teenagers, we face on a daily basis. She has introduced thousands of children and young adults to the world of writing. According to Draper teaching has been her “calling and vocation,” describing herself as a teacher who “teaches because I must. It is in my heart and soul; part of the definition of me. I end up teaching wherever I am” (Donaldson). As an educator turned writer, Draper has witnessed the value of a story and the power that words can have over the multitude …show more content…

Draper remembers as achild receiving O’s from a teacher because according to the teacher “an A wasn't good enough”(Donaldson). She also credits her fifth grade teacher, Mrs. Kathadaza Mann, with making her the teacher she is today. Mrs. Kathadaza Mann gave her student’s poetry by Langston Hughes and had them read Shakespeare. “We didn’t know we weren’t supposed to be able to do that in fifth grade. She gave it to us and we loved it,” Draper said. “It was part of making me the teacher I am today” (Sharon Mills Draper). As a teacher, Draper did not tolerate nonsense. "I demand the best from them, and they expect the best from me," explained Draper (Draper). Draper later received the Ohio Teacher of the Year Award in 1997 for her outstanding services in the teaching profession, as well as the U.S. Teacher of the Year, given by President Clinton himself. In President Clinton’s speech, he said “For 27 years she has inspired students with her passion for literature and life. Sharon Draper is more than a credit to her profession, she is a true blessing to the children she has taught" (Sharon Draper

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