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Personal Reflection/Anecdote

In the Beginning: A New Teacher

is Born; Collegial Support Makes a

Difference

By Wynne Anderson

My professional career did not begin under what would be considered ideal
circumstances, but nonetheless those circumstances shaped me as an educator and
influenced my entire career. In the first few years, seasoned professionals became
my personal saviors, helping me navigate the uncharted waters of being a new
teacher. Join me as I share a story of gratitude and deep appreciation for these
saviors who helped me “in the beginning.”
It was May 1990, and I, a recent college grad, was going for an interview for
my very first teaching assignment. I was pretty stoked about being hired only a
few weeks after graduation … excited to say, “I’m a teacher.” I walked up to the
double doors of Arnold Junior High School, and Charlie Roberts, the principal, met
me at the loggia. He was warm and fatherly, and I liked him immediately. Most
of my butterflies calmed as he gave me a tour of the building and I saw the room
where I would teach. He shared with me that Mr. Hall, the current Grade 8 science
teacher, had to leave before the end of the school year due to personal reasons.
The reality of Mr. Hall’s departure, I
found out from other teachers, was quite
different and worth mentioning. Mr.
Hall was a knowledgeable engineer and
an expert in his field but did not have
teaching credentials. The truth revealed
that he had been in an altercation with
a student. Following the altercation, he
had walked out … and never came back.
When I took over the class, the students
were literally swinging from the rafters
as just 6 weeks of school remained. Mr.
Hall had kept no records all year: no
grades or attendance. These words kept
racing through my mind: “What am I
going to do?’’
Thankfully, Ms. Dennis, the Grade 7 teacher across the hall, made it her
business to save me. Some saw her as the proverbial busybody teacher. But not me.
I recognized her sincerity and her skills as a true professional. She was helping me
because she truly believed in what she was doing as a professional. From creating a
grade book to dealing with undisciplined students, she became more than a mentor.
She became my savior—the reason I made it through that last 6 weeks of school as

22 · Volume 89-2