Miss Amy Tharp

I graduated from Grand Valley State University in 1998. During my years at Grand Valley, I began to understand the real meaning of being culturally in tune to others. I have been fortunate to have good friends that are from diverse national and ethnic backgrounds. Through these friendships, I have come to understand myself and how I fit into modern society. I graduated from Grand Valley with a strong infrastructure of core classes and program specific classes. As part of my academic course work, I spent the winter semester of 1997, in Aix-en-Provence, France. While studying in France, I also traveled and stayed with a Spanish family in Madrid, Spain. This experience was extremely beneficial to my teaching career because I was able to improve my language and communication abilities in both French and Spanish. Additionally, this experience provided me with insights into the French and Spanish culture and traditions which are almost impossible to receive solely through textbook study, but invaluable in a foreign language classroom.

I have been a certified teacher for almost two years. During these two years, I have found my desire to remain in teaching increase. The best part of teaching is the moment in which a student's eyes light up when they finally grasp a concept that has been allusive. Being a teacher is also great when students enter the classroom after school to talk about what's occurring in their world. However, being a teacher does not end at the classroom door. At Onekama, I have had the opportunity to sponsor the following three club activities: S.A.D.D., the eighth grade class, and Spanish Club. Through these clubs, the students and I are able to see each other in different roles.

This final section answers the question, “Why be an educator?” I have been fortunate in life to have experienced several great teachers. These teachers inspired me to achieve. They maintained their faith in me, even as my faith wavered. In addition, these special teachers made learning enjoyable and demonstrated that the learning process, although long and often hard, can be successfully accomplished by every individual student as long as they try. On account of the caring and enjoyable classroom climates that I experience, I desire to create similar climates in which I might reach other students. I also desire to teach because teaching allows me to do something I love, communicate in French and Spanish.