Rockin' Ralls

Rockin’ Ralls

  I can see it now, my grandchildren coming up to ole grandma’s house for a comforting cookie and a story after a long stressful day at middle school. “It won’t always be like that,” I’ll say. “One day you’ll have that teacher, the one that you’ll remember forever. The good ones are out there.” Then they’ll deny that there could be any teacher that they could look up to, all teachers give homework! I’ll laugh my old dried cackle. They’ll respond with a look as if I’ve gone mad, but then relent. They’ll ask about my most memorable teacher, they bet she gave homework. “My most memorable teacher? Why, my eighth grade English teacher, Ms. Ralls. She had the humorous spirit, the casual attitude, and the undying gift of a writer…” and I’ll launch into my long reminisce of Ms. Ralls.
  One thing I’ve always valued in a teacher is their ability to show their casual side, and Ms. Ralls’s classroom is one of the most comfortable classrooms I’ve ever been in. Some might say she is disorganized because of her “messy desk” or “carefree nature”, but I think this shows that her classroom is her home too and she likes to go with the flow. In addition, Ms. Ralls talks like a normal everyday person. When we read a book together in class she didn't skip over curse words and I’m sure she’s let one slip every once and awhile, but she is a real person and not some censored robot. The mood is always light in Ms. Ralls’s class. I don’t know how many times I’ve been in an awful mood and left her class with a smile plastered on my face. If only I had her first and last hour!
  When it comes to humor, Ms. Ralls is simply and irrevocably the queen. No matter the day, or even her own mood, Ms. Ralls is always entertaining the class. In her comical rage, she tends to say what everyone is thinking. One of my favorite instances was when a student wouldn’t be quiet while she was talking so she broke off from her sentence and shouted with a ground-rumbling tone something like, “I’m going to stab you if you don’t shut up! I’ll hang you by your feet and give you a slow painful death!” I will admit, sometimes she can get a bit scary, but only very rarely since her anger is never usually directed towards me.
  Speaking of Ms. Ralls serious side, she is a superb writer. Yes, she is an English teacher, but there is more natural talent to it than that. Least to say, she’s creative and imaginative. Being an English teacher, and a proficient one at that, there has been several times she has helped improve my writing, and it’s noticeable when you compare my old works to my new ones. Since we are both writers, I tend to look up to Ms. Ralls as my role model. Sometimes, it’s as if we speak our own secret language only writers like us can understand. She inspires me to keep writing, even if my career path will be something different.
  Something about Ms. Ralls captivates people. Whether she is wading through papers on her desk, threatening to kill a student, or coming up with stories right on the spot, she’s always delightful and everyone can’t help but to love her. I’m just one of the many honored to call her my most memorable teacher.