Education is powerful. It drives people to better themselves and sometimes even change the world. Someone who truly knows the value of education and strongly devotes themselves to teaching is Portage Christian School teacher Linda LaCorte, who has been an educator for 30 years.
“I am always excited to teach my students new things and to see how far we can take our lessons,” LaCorte said. “I see the potential in every single one of them.”
LaCorte’s love for teaching goes all the way back to her childhood. She would ask the kids down her block to play “school” with her, with LaCorte taking the role of teacher, complete with her own chalkboard and books.
“I am a life-long learner,” LaCorte said. “I enjoy the very nature of learning, and I try to help my students to see the value of continuing to learn and growing every day. In every lesson, I try to find things that interest them because I want to help develop that mindset of being a life-long learner in them as well.”
LaCorte added that she believes a teacher’s role is to help their students learn how to teach themselves. There are going to be times when students are going to be on their own, so cultivating that level of self-awareness and initiative is a priority.
“An educator needs to be a positive influence in every aspect of their students’ lives,” LaCorte said. “If I can help my students develop the ability to see things for themselves and cultivate them into being stronger people, then I feel that I have done the best job I could.”
LaCorte also said that being an educator requires having empathy with their students. Her best advice to teachers is to simply listen to the students and try to comprehend their needs, so they can really nurture them through their journeys.
“There will be good days and there will be bad days. But every day is a chance to develop and grow,” LaCorte said. “Don’t get hung up on the bad days, but find something in each day that is of value and take it with you.”
“I am very happy to be teaching at Portage Christian School,” LaCorte said. “At this school, the bonds the teachers and students have are almost familial. It’s just a great place to be.”