How Well do you Know your Teachers? pt. 2

How+Well+do+you+Know+your+Teachers%3F+pt.+2

How well do you know your Teachers?

Ms. Allen is an English teacher at Greenbrier West High School. She attended Concord University in Athens and majored in English and Education. While attending college, she participated in many activities. “I was a grip-centered tutor. It’s a tutor for student-athletes who are struggling with eligibility. I was a cheerleader for a year, I played softball for four years, and I was a member of the International English Honors Society,” she said.

Ms. Allen did not always want to be an English teacher. In fact, at one point in her life, she wanted to be an orthodontist. However, the chemistry was a big no for her. The grip center at Concord actually helped inspire her to become a teacher. “So when I was in college at the grip center, I was passing English easily. And one of my friends who was a football player really was struggling with English. I think he had an F and I helped him get caught up to a B. I thought “Hey I can do this.” I guess I just really wanted to help people, but in a way that helped a lot of people all at once. And something that helped them for the future as well,” she said.

Ms. Allen’s favorite thing about her career is getting to know kids and helping them feel better about themselves from day to day. She likes seeing them improve in the classroom as well. “So many kids hate English, so by the end if they at least like it a little bit more that’s awesome.”
I asked Ms. Allen who motivates her. She said, “My mom taught for 36 years and she motivates me a lot. My Nana does as well.” Ms. Allen said that the future, in general, motivates her as well. “I am definitely not the same teacher I was in year one, which is good,” she said. “I am always trying to improve,”

One of Ms. Allen’s goals in life is to make her Nana proud. “She’s my whole reason for being anything,”