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Girl Scout Cookies
Girl Scout Cookies

I love Girl Scout cookies. I really thinking I have an addiction, but I really love them all. They all have amazing characteristics. We all have our favorites and crave each one at different times for different reasons. Our schools are filled with different personality types and we all have our quirks. So I thought, what if teachers were like Girl Scout cookies? What kind of teacher would be a do si do? Here are my conclusions:

Samoas – A caramel coconut cookie, with fudge lines. A teacher that has way too much on her plate. She is very sweet and has serious trouble saying “no.” She has things scattered all over, but knows exactly where everything is. She has a little hand in everything, but is not committed fully to one club, dance, or even subjects. No one can deny her creativity and over flow of ideas, if you need something new go to her. Sometimes she can be a bit “rich” when you spend too much time with her, but in spite her dabbling in everything it, she simply works.

Shortbread– A classic butter cookie. A teacher that simply teaches. They are fair and like their job, but you won’t see them at football games or after school activities. A shortbread teacher is comfortable where she is in the classroom and does not want anything extra or new added to her curriculum or environment.

Do si do – A peanut butter sandwich cookie. A teacher that is more than a teacher. She has serious depth. She can hold you over for a stretch of time. She gives the students the much needed reality check and her coworkers a pep talk. If you need an honest opinion on something, you go to her because she has your best interests at heart.

Savannah Smiles – A lemon cookie, with powdered sugar. A teacher that started out way too nice and became a bit bitter over time, this is usually a new teacher that started out optimistic and wanted to change the world. Then reality finally hits and it is a hard pill to swallow. She is finding out it is okay to want to save the world, but realizes that she cannot help everyone. She is finding the balance of being true to her sweet self and being “tart” enough so everyone does not run over her.

Tagalongs – A cookie with peanut butter filling dipped in fudge. A teacher that is a master a two things gives full dedication to each one. Some of the two things they are dedicated are surprising such as the sensitive English teacher that is a football coach. The social studies teacher that plays the guitar. A teacher that teaches biology and guides the golf team. These two focuses allow them to see their students in different lights and this carries over from the classroom to the field and vice versa. This teacher can give you advice on how to reach a student or will go talk to them for you. Hopefully, you have several of these tag-alongs at your school.

Thin Mints. A mint cookie dipped in fudge. A teacher that is worth her weight in gold. She is fair and consistent. Not overly sweet or concerned with anyone liking her (though everyone does). She has been in the classroom for a while and has found the perfect balance of combining the classroom, after-school work, and her personal life. She goes with anything and anyone. She knows that though things are always changing, her commitment to her school and students will be consistent and depended upon.

This is a light-hearted look at our co-workers. They truly are the BEST at what they do and all have positive qualities. Deep down, we all are a bit of everything. I like that we are all so different because we can reach different students this way. If we were all short breads, who would cheer at our basketball games? If we all stayed Samoas, we would never find our niche and become a tag-along. No matter where you are in your teaching career, know that our students need each and every one of us for different reasons. And you are reaching at least one, and sometimes all you need is ONE person to change everything.[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

Alice has been teaching for fourteen years. She currently teaches English I, English III, English...

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