Bus making final departure

Teachers literally mold students' minds, guiding them through the elementary years, junior high, and then finally those challenging high school years. Some teachers even dedicate their entire lives to prodding students down those roads. Elaine Elliott, English teacher for 29 years at Silver Lake High School, has recently announced her retirement at the end of this school year.

Elliott also taught four years at Pleasant Ridge High School and one year at a private school.

Elliott said that she was first encouraged to teach by her seventh-grade English teacher. Similarly, she pushes her students towards success.

Elliott's students proclaim that she has enhanced their learning abilities.

"Mrs. Elliott has influenced my learning abilities by actually believing in me and that I can do it," said Laci Reamer, junior.

"She has influenced my learning abilities by making me work harder in class and getting all my work done," said Charlsie Bahret, freshman.

Elliott said that her favorite aspects of teaching are when she can touch peopleís lives and influence the students in a positive way.

"I enjoy teaching most when I see the student enjoys learning and even if a student struggles and then finally the light bulb comes on. That is what I really love," said Elliott.

When the students finally understand the main concepts, they can then go on to explore the boundaries of it. When a student finally reaches that level where he or she can do this alone, Elliott said she truly feels she has accomplished something special.

"I think what I love most is when I give the students directions and they can follow those instructions and expand on them. They're doing all the work, and I'm just helping," said Elliott.

Over the years, Elliott has taught a handful of classes including English 1, 2, 3, and 4, creative writing, and a world literature class. Although she teaches all aspects of English, her favorite is grammar.

"I probably love to teach grammar more than anything else. It's concrete. You follow the rules. You do what the rules say. It's black and white," said Elliott.

Her students enjoy her humor most.

"I will miss her laugh because if somebody said something, she would start laughing, and we would all laugh. It always made my day when I had her class," said Bahret.

"My favorite thing would have to be when she jokes around with everyone. I can actually tell when she is joking and when she is serious; it took me three years to figure it out," said Reamer.

Elliott's most renowned humorous adage is "Get on the bus." She has used this saying throughout the years as encouragement for her students to try to keep up.

With the imminent retirement of Elliott, her students are savoring their last moments together and pondering what they will miss most.

"The thing that I will miss most about Mrs. Elliott is how she cares so much about me. And how she is always willing to help you if you are struggling. I'm going to miss her very much. I wish she would stay until I graduate, so she actually knows I made it," said Reamer.

Elliott is also thinking of what she'll grieve most for: her loss of teenage interaction.

"I will miss being around teenagers most because I like their enthusiasm and their energy. I think they keep me young. They keep me on my toes," said Elliott.

Sub Navigation

• News
• Editorials
• Sports
• Features

Top