From geological formations to interesting bugs to the wonderful idea of atomic structures building all matter, Buffalo Middle School Teacher Sarah Bailey loves science. As an eighth-grade science teacher in Wayne County, Mrs. Bailey said she didn’t always feel that way.
“As a young student, I often felt lost, overwhelmed and sadly bored in some science classes while I was growing up. I desired to change that for middle school students. My annual goal is to reach students’ hearts and create an enjoyment for science.”
As she grew to appreciate the wonder and fascination of science and nature, Mrs. Bailey said she wanted to lead a classroom where those who don’t like science look forward to entering and those who do like science develop a passion for it.
“I wanted to design and facilitate lessons that supported true understanding and not a simple regurgitation of textbook information. I want my class to be where the world is made real, and students realize their potential and their life possibilities.”
Like many educators, Mrs. Bailey said she believes the education system is so successful because of her fellow teachers and the students they serve.
“The dedication and passion within the majority of our educators is superb. My favorite aspect of my job is when I realize my students are learning more than they expected. When they finally understand a concept they thought they would never grasp. When they smile because they have mastered a skill. When students return back to my classroom after being gone for years, just to say, ‘I still remember…’.”
She said it’s those impactful moments with her students that make it all worth it.
“I received the biggest blessing at the beginning of this year. A student who I had taught several years ago had dropped out of high school and moved away for a job. He came, out of his way, to tell me in person (masked and outside, of course) that he went back to the high school and got enrolled again to graduate. He talked about the impact I’d made on him and how he knew I’d be proud of his decision,” Bailey said. “He wanted to let me know he was going to be okay. I held it together while we spoke, and then cried all the way back down the hallway to my classroom because this young man cherished me that much. I thanked the Lord for the life he had allowed me to touch and for the impact this young man had made on my heart.”
Mrs. Bailey has been teaching for seven years and has plans to positively influence her students’ lives for years to come.