I found out recently that a teacher I had in high school passed away. Her name was Linda Bartel and I had her for a health class in 10th grade. As I heard about her passing I was saddened because she passed away pretty suddenly and she was my dad's age (59). It made it kind of real that my parents are getting older and you never know what could happen. But after those fleeting thoughts past through, I remembered a story that happened to me that year that I had her as a teacher. I also realized I am still kind of bitter about the story and it also made me reflect the question of "How do I want to be remembered." I thought I would share this little story that happened to me.
When I was a sophomore in high school, I was a cheerleader. I had made a promise to myself when I found out that I had made the team that I didn't want to be the stereotypical cheerleader. You know the ones that think they are better than others, are only friends with other cheerleaders, not neccisarily the brightest, and seem just a bit self centered. I can honestly say that I kept that promise. I actually hung out with tons of people in high school and did not really get super close to most of the girls on cheer. I had like 3 friends on cheer out of probably 25 girls. I received quite a few comments throughout my 3 years on cheer, that I was not the typical cheerleader and that I was quite a nice person. I also received really good grades and was always on time to my classes. My teachers never had a problem with me and I strived to be on good terms with them. I loved being involved in high school. I even ran for Senior class Vice President and I won. I had a good friends throughout high school and I know that made a huge difference. I was never really bullied in school, and I always seemed to have good friends around me. Yes, I had some falling out with friends. But a lot of the time it was because we either didn't have much in common anymore, or because they got a boyfriend and we just distanced ourselves. We never ended on horrible terms.
I say that I was never really bullied in school, but I did happen to be bullied by a teacher. And surprise, that teacher just happened to be Mrs. Bartel. Mrs. Bartel also happened to be the Volleyball coach for our high school and she had a bad taste in her mouth for cheerleaders. I remember going into class a few times and she always had a snarky remark about how cheerleaders were annoying and that they just got in the way at games. As a sophomore I didn't know how to handle comments like that and I knew that I wasn't that cheerleader. My feelings were hurt more than once because of her comments.
That health class did have a few rowdy kids. I didn't have any of my friends in that class with me, but I did know a few kids. Those kids happened to be the rowdy kids and when I say rowdy I mean pretty talkative. I wasn't usually rowdy, I just happened to be sitting by them and would be semi involved in their conversations. She got after us quite a few times and finally she had hit her boiling point. One day she flipped out and said that we needed to be separated and she gave us assigned seating. She moved everyone around the room and when she got to me she told me that I had to pull my desk over to the corner every day and that I needed to sit by myself. I was the only one that had to do that out the 5 of us. I remember how embarrassed and shocked I was when she targeted me out like that. I know it is because I was a cheerleader and she figured I had to be the ring leader. I dreaded going to health class after that. I left that class quite a few times with tears in my eyes.
After a few weeks of me sitting in the corner and her realizing that I wasn't the problem child. Because those rowdy kids happened to be rowdy even when I wasn't sitting by them. I started moving my desk back over to where it should be. She never said anything about me moving back over and she never did say sorry to me. I didn't talk much in that class after that experience either. I said the bare minimum and that wasn't like me. I was an involved student in most of my classes.
Later on in high school when I happened to be the co captain and captain of cheerleading, whenever she had a beef with cheerleaders she would come to me and talk nicely to me about it because she knew I would take care of the problem she may have been having. I actually became really close to the assistant head coach of volleyball, Ms. Raddon. I happened to change both of their views on how cheerleaders weren't always what they thought. Now Mrs. Bartel wasn't all that bad. She had a fun personally most of the time and she did get along with most everyone. She will be missed.
That story really had a negative effect on me though. So when I heard about her passing away I remembered how she treated me. It made me sit back and think about how I treat people and hope that they will remember me being caring and nice. I committed to myself again that I want people to view me that way. Also that little incident taught me to never prejudge someone because of a "title" they may have. Not everyone is the same and you shouldn't treat them a certain way because you had a negative experience once.
You never know when your time here on earth is going to be done, and when it is I want to be remembered in a good way. Strive a little harder to be a little better.
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