Medford, Ore.– We continue to celebrate some of the special teachers in our valley this month. Kristin Merrill works at Logos Public Charter School in Medford and says her 5th grade teacher when she was a child, influenced her to become an educator as well.
“What I really needed was a sense of belonging,” Merrill says.
A teacher of over 13 years, Merrill says it was a teacher of her own who encouraged her to get into education.
“A really influential teacher, my 5th grade teacher was Mrs. Lewis and she was really there for me and my family during a difficult time,” she recalls.
It was during that trying time as a young student that Merrill says she needed to see herself in a new and positive light. Her teacher did just that.
“That’s what my teacher did, change my perception of myself.”
Now years after that meaningful mentorship, Merrill is guiding her own students at Logos Public Charter School in Medford.
“I’m so happy you’re here,” she exclaims to her kindergarten students. “We are going to have such a great time together and we are going to learn a lot about words and reading.”
She uses some of the same empowering teaching strategies that changed and shaped her in her classroom.
“I think that one of the things that I really value is of course when students learn and gain knowledge, but when they can change their perception of themselves, they look at themselves a little bit differently. I think that is the most fulfilling to me.”
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