About Mrs. Waters
    Ever since I can remember, I have always wanted to be a teacher.  My mother understood the value of an education and made sure that my two brothers and two sisters, and I had the resources we needed to be successful students.  Before I started school, my mother bought surplus desks, an easel, and a portable chalkboard for our back room.  She made sure we had pencils, pens, construction paper, glue and other school supplies; so I was able to play school for hours.  In addition, my mom and my aunt would put on puppet shows for my mom’s five children and my aunt’s five children.  By third grade, I knew that I wanted to teach “language,” which is what English was called in those days.  At the end of third grade, Mrs. Hall, my teacher, gave me one of her old grade books.  That summer, I played school almost every day, filling in the grade book as if I were a real teacher.   In high school, I thrived in my English literature classes and continued to study liberal arts at Gaston College, receiving an A.A. in 1967.  At East Carolina University, I majored in English and received a B.S. in 1969 in secondary education.  I left immediately for Iwakuni, Japan where my (previous) husband was stationed with the U. S. Marine Corps.  I was able to substitute teach at the base high school and do a little bit of sightseeing along the way.  Since then, I have completed coursework at Butte College, Shasta College, and California State University, Chico as a part of professional growth.  I received a master’s degree in collaborative education leadership through Fielding Graduate Institute.  I embarked on a doctorate, but have not advanced due to major technological and medical setbacks.

     I did not begin my teaching career right after graduation.  Instead, I traveled with my (previous) husband to each of his military posts.  In addition, I stayed home to raise our family; so I actually came to teaching later in life.  I am currently a 3^rd grade teacher at Murdock Elementary School in Willows, California.  I began there in 1990 as a Chapter One teacher, went to 4^th grade in 1991, and transferred to 3^rd grade in 1998.  The first week of third grade, the principal called all the third grade teachers into her office and told us we were going 20 to 1 in the classroom.  That meant that 12 students and desks were transferred to a newly-hired teacher.  That same weekend, I became engaged to be married.  I guess you could say that week and the day of my wedding to George were the best days ever!

     In 1999 I decided to attempt certification through the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards.  The very day I received my application, my older son Kane called to tell me that my daughter was in labor.  Not wanting to alarm me, my son said he and my next oldest son Joshua would meet me at the hospital because Tiffany was being med-evac’ed as a precaution to a Redding hospital.  It was a little more complicated than that.  By the time my third son Benjamin and I arrived at the hospital, Tiffany had “died” twice, once on the helicopter and once in the hospital.  Luckily, doctors were able to bring her back.  Needless to say, the birth of my granddaughter and the complications for both Tiffany and Lily put my certification process on hold.  I ultimately completed the national board process and became certified in 2002.  This was a long and arduous process, but I firmly believe it was one of the best learning experiences I have had so far.

 I penned the following poem about myself based on a writing project with Real Writing Teachers:

 Where I’m From
I am from cotton, from Moon Pies and Diet Pepsi, from livermush and hushpuppies.

I am from the front-porched, cool-white, mill-town home and from the boat landing on the banks of North Carolina’s Catawba River.

I am from the magnolia, the honeysuckle, the dogwood, and the pine, summertime scents filtering through the open windows.

I am from Christmas Eve parties and Santa Claus visits, even as an adult and from do your homework before you can watch TV, from Betty and John.

I am from the schoolroom put together by Mother and Aunt Helen, the puppet shows they put on, and their impersonations of TV personalities.

I am from having dinner at noon and supper at night and sweetened iced tea from tall icy pitchers.

I am from playing in the fall leaves and sleepovers with my cousins.

I am from always wear clean underwear and don’t say anything at all if you can’t say something nice.

I am from hymn-singing Baptists and summer church camps, from an aunt who was the camp nurse and dispensed M & Ms as “love pills.”

I am from Cramerton, Belmont, and McAdenville, from Cherokee, German, and English.

I am from meatloaf, Scotch eggs, grits, and biscuits slathered with butter.

I am from the time Mother graduated from high school at the age of 25 and all five of us kids got front-row seats, from Mother’s friendship with Mrs. Cramer from Cramerton and her letters from Mrs. George Patton.

I am from my brother Daryl’s wonderful practical jokes and the times we elaborately tricked Vickie into thinking it was December in the middle of summer.

I am from memories housed in baby books, black-paged albums, and white satin wedding books.

I am from school pictures with missing teeth and crookedly, self-cut bangs.

I am from memories and traditions of Christmases past and moments captured in time.

I am from the love of reading and the knowledge of the value of education.

I am from Boo Radley, Scout, Jem, and Atticus, Andy Griffith, UNC, Duke University’s 1964 basketball team, and East Carolina University.

I am from a gentle Southern lady and gentleman and their dreams for me.

I am from priceless memories.

 --©Cherylle Waters

Graphics by Tea's Hope Chest