Linda Anderson admits that she took awhile to start her teaching career. Although it was something she always aspired to, she ended up working at a bank for many years before she became a teacher.
Anderson says it was her friends at church who urged her to return to school and finish her degree.
“They held me accountable, and they encouraged me,” says Anderson. So in her 40s, she returned to school and now, “I’m here and I’m doing exactly what I should do,” she concludes.
Anderson is entering her 12th year of teaching third grade at Acacia Elementary. Former student Elizabeth says that Anderson works hard and makes students happy. In her glowing praise, Elizabeth writes that Anderson “shines brighter than the sun when she is teaching.”
Like the sun, Anderson is up early most days. She likes to run before school and says she runs about three times a week. She has run many half marathons, she says, and nine full marathons!
Anderson shares her love of running, too. She is in her eighth year leading Girls on the Run at Acacia. The national program teaches girls self-esteem while they practice to run a 5K. Anderson says the message that girls receive is that you just don’t give up, but keep moving, whether it’s running, walking or skipping.
The message is similar to the one Anderson has for all students: to always do and be the best they can at whatever they are doing. That, and having a positive attitude, are important, she says.
Anderson likes to teach math, even though it was not a favorite subject when she was in school.
“I struggled with math,” she admits, but “I have a new love, a new appreciation for math.”
She says that because math is more clear cut, more black and white, when students get it, they get it. Anderson loves to see the light bulbs go on when that happens.
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