Before this year’s Teacher Appreciation Week, I was asked about a teacher who has inspired me, and the first person that came to mind was Ms. Irvine. For those who don’t know her, she’s a 9th and 10th grade language arts teacher here at West Seattle High School, and sometimes works as a director for the theatre department. 

Her teaching style tends to focus on reading pieces of literature that follow themes of social justice, history, self-empowerment, deep storytelling, and complex literary elements. I admire Ms. Irvine because I think her teaching is very structured, thought out, and meaningful. She takes time to ensure that every student understands the assigned readings and gives us time every Wednesday for silent reading or catching up on work. This demonstrates how she doesn’t try to make her class unattainably difficult, and cares about students’ success. Personality-wise, she’s very warm, welcoming, and intelligent. 

I asked my friends Caroline Decker and Ada Ruttman what they thought the qualities of a good teacher entailed, and their responses followed a theme of understanding, care, and passion that correlates with Ms. Irvine’s characteristics. Caroline answered that a good teacher is “someone who’s willing to help their students and who’s productive with grading.” Ada shared that it’s “someone that students feel comfortable asking questions to, and they value students’ understanding in class.” 

Next, I asked some other friends why they specifically liked Ms. Irvine. Franki Breznau told me, “I had her last year, and I liked her because she was really good at explaining things clearly, and she would also offer extra time for assignments.” Fellow student Eden O’Donnell added, “Her assignments aren’t complicated, but still teach students valuable lessons.” 

In closing, I believe Ms. Irvine is a great teacher, and I strongly encourage everyone to keep in mind a teacher they appreciate this week, whether that’s Ms. Irvine or another staff member!