Jill Weigelt
I am an AACPS: English Teacher, Arundel Middle School | 2018 Teacher of the Year Nominee
Dr. Connelly, Mrs. Morgan, Mr. Saxer, Mrs. Kurzel, Mrs. Green, Mr. Drayer, and Mrs. Yordy were all teachers who had such a positive impact that I can still remember them so many years (we won’t discuss the exact number) later. They created a relationship with me, believed in me, and pushed me to be the best person I could be. Their influences still carry on through my teaching. I strive for my classroom to be a place my students look forward to coming and a place in which they feel safe. That starts with relationships. I grow relationships with my students through positive reinforcement, humor (at least I think I am funny), and personal connections to my students. I show them that I believe in them and know that they can become smarter than they are. I help them to become successful and to foster their love for reading. I start with little successes and build upon them, which develops the students’ confidence and transfers over to their work. My students’ success is not just based on what is learned in the classroom, but also on how they apply the tools learned outside the classroom. I asked some of students to describe me as a teacher. After they looked at me as if I were crazy, here is what some of them wrote:
“Mrs. Weigelt is nice and cares about kids.”
“Mrs. Weigelt makes reading fun.”
“Mrs. Weigelt can help you if you have problem.”
I will continue to work on my teaching and continue to help foster the love for reading in my students. I hope that one day, my students will remember me as fondly as I remember the teachers who had a positive impact on my life.
