Descriptive essay - model answer

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Describe a teacher who has influenced your life


I can still remember the first time Mrs Pauline Kuah walked into my class. Clad in a modern kebaya with a matching handbag, she sashayed into the room and into our hearts. We have heard about our new English teacher but nothing prepared us for this little dynamite.

Mrs Pauline Kuah revolutionized the way I learn English. Instead of the dull chalk and talk, she took us for walks and taught us to play language games. My English classes were transformed into a big game. Everything had points and everyone had to contribute. Even the hard core among us was not spared. She just swept us off our feet with her enthusiasm.

What struck me most about this petite and slender woman is her honesty. She calls herself ‘WYSIWYG’ – what you see is what you get. She did not lie to us if she did not know something. I could still remember the time when she had to teach us Mathematics. She told us that although she was only a step or two ahead of us, she would try her very best to teach us until another teacher came along.

She is also a very outspoken woman. She is not afraid to speak her mind to her superiors or to fight for our rights. Once, we were all under a lot of stress and the school was organising a jog-a-thon just before our trial exam. We spoke to her and she immediately solved the problem by getting the jog-a-thon postponed. However, she did not spare us if we were wrong and most of us would rather die than face her ‘lectures’.

She also taught me that action speaks louder than words. While some teachers shy away from the heat during Physical Education, she jogged and played with us. During recycling campaigns, she did not hesitate to help us carry the newspapers. We were all inspired to work even harder for the project.

However, what struck me most about Mrs Pauline Kuah is her unending belief in us. She saw the potential in us to be good and by showing us a little attention and love, we were obligated to at least try to better ourselves. I was very lazy and rebellious when I met her. No one bothered to find out what was wrong. My parents were heading for a divorce. Father had been unfaithful. Mrs Pauline went after me relentlessly and I finally broke down and told her everything. I saw that she truly cared for me and all the others who were like me.

Come this December, I shall leave Mrs Pauline Kuah and the school. I want to express my deepest gratitude to her and to let her know that I shall never forget what she has taught me. I thank God that such a dedicated soul once walked in my life and left footprints in my heart.