This year at McClain High School there are four new teachers for students and staff to get to know. One of those teachers is Sarah Ahrendt, a language arts teacher who is happy to share information about herself and her impressions of MHS and Greenfield.
“My first impression was that the community was very loyal and everyone took care of each other,” she said. “You don’t see a lot of that in more urban places, not on this level at least.”
Ahrendt attended Ohio University where she majored in education and received her master’s degree in curriculum and instruction.
There is one incident in her life that made a great impression on her and influenced her decision to teach. She volunteered at a hospice where she had a patient with Alzheimer’s disease, and the patient retained the memory of her grade school teacher. Ahrendt felt touched by this connection, and made the switch to go down the career path to become a teacher.
So why did Ahrendt decide to come to Greenfield?
“I love rural schools and the environment surrounding them, the feeling of hominess, and the sense that you can trust everyone around you,” she said.
When asked how the start of the school year has gone her answer is similar to the answer from most teachers: stressful but fun.
In Ahrendt’s opinion, what makes a great teacher? She said that someone who treats students like they are people is a great teacher.
“Just because a student doesn’t do well in my class doesn’t mean that I like them any less than those who do well,” she said.
Conversely, she believes a great student is “a student who is good at asking questions and puts forth the effort to succeed in school as well as in life.”
Submitted by Riley Burgin, McClain journalism student.
