“At the young age of five, I knew that teaching was going to be in my future.” -Ms. Flagel
If you went to Cashmere Middle School, you know Ms. Flagel. She helps students learn in fun and creative ways, gives us candy when we complete our work, and has a heart-to-heart connection with every student. She is the all-time favorite teacher of almost every student who’s had her, and she definitely is mine, too. She makes an amazing impact on students and everyone around her. Even after 30 years of being surrounded by middle schoolers all the time, she says, “I may be old, but I’m young at heart.” So how does she do it?
Ms. Flagel said, “I don’t think of myself as great by any means, but I do know that I have always strived to be authentic, honest, genuine, and determined. I live by one of my favorite and simplest quotes from President Abraham Lincoln: ‘Whatever you are, be a good one.’ I carry that quote with me as a focal point.”
She also said, “I believe my students grow and progress because they are able to relax and enjoy themselves in my classroom. Learning happens best when you feel safe enough to make mistakes and not fall apart because of them. When your nervous system is relaxed, learning comes more easily—and when fun is involved, it happens even faster. Research supports this.
Maybe these are some of the reasons I am remembered, but I hope it is mostly because my students remember that I truly cared about them as humans and wanted them to enjoy life and learn at the same time.”
She creates a safe and supportive environment, and students are more likely to engage in school when they feel valued and recognized and don’t feel judged for making mistakes or having different learning styles. She treats students with kindness and empathy and is a great example of how students should treat each other. Instead of pointing out mistakes and giving criticism, she focuses on growth and improvement in each and every student.
Ms. Flagel says, “I know I am not the strictest teacher on the planet, but I think it all boils down to mutual respect. If my students know that I respect them, they will honor that respect in return. My students know I work hard for them and that I worry about and care for them. I also hope they know that I believe in them and trust that they will grow in their own time and in their own way. Being “chill” is part of respecting the idea that not all students learn at the same rate or in the same way. Every student is unique, and learning should honor that. When I am concerned about a student’s progress, I am honest and let them know—sometimes through a note, sometimes through a side conversation, and sometimes through playful sarcasm. It all comes down to knowing my students, caring about them, and honoring the fact that we all need a focused path to follow. Some paths are straight, and some look like a pile of spaghetti, but there is always, always a path. Being a likable teacher is really just about being a likable person. I try to be the kind of person I would want to hang out with.”
Some teachers are way too chill and don’t pay very much attention to their students, causing the students to not take the class very seriously or get anything done, which can make it hard for students to effectively learn. Teachers who are too strict can create a tense environment where students are scared to make mistakes, and the pressure is too high., If students don’t feel respected, they won’t show it back. Teachers like Ms Flagel can get students to show respect and listen, and that’s what’s so great about her.
She also said, “My favorite part of teaching—hands down—is the students and their endless love of sharing. They tell me everything: the good, the bad, the embarrassing, the sad, and the silly. I learn so much about how incredible humans are by spending time with children and young adults. I truly love building relationships with all these amazing people. Another favorite part of teaching is creativity—finding fun ways to teach difficult concepts. I love using costumes, puppets, songs, body movements, chants, color, glitter, parachutes, and music. Learning should be fun! While not every day is exciting, I hope the really fun ones linger and carry students through the harder days.”
A lot of students don’t open up to teachers about things, but many students do for Ms. Flagel because she makes them feel very comfortable and loved. I wonder if she knows how many students felt so loved by her and how many students she has helped. So many voices have a lot of amazing things to say about her besides just these students.
Gabe Martinez says, “I don’t like most teachers, but she was like another parent to me. I could tell her anything without being judged, and she made my middle school years a lot better.”
An anonymous student said,
“Ms. Flagel is my favorite teacher out of every single one I’ve had; she’s been the one I’ve told the most to. She was the one who taught me it’s okay to make mistakes and that it is ok to not know how to do something. I saw her as a teacher and a mom. She was always there when I needed someone to talk to, and she always knew when something was off from just the slightest change in my attitude, and was always the teacher that I knew was a safe person. I’m not a student who likes adults or school, especially when they don’t show me any respect, and I’m definitely not a known kid to respect adults and teachers. But Mrs. Flagel is the one adult who makes me feel like I can be myself .I can speak up. She was my comfort and safe space, and I respect her for everything she’s ever done and said.
Ms. Flagel says, “The hardest part of teaching, for me, isn’t the long hours, grading, endless emails, or phone calls—it’s the moments of grief. When students are hurting, I am hurting. When they lose a pet or a family member, have their feelings hurt, or experience neglect or abuse, it tears at my heart. There have been many times when I wished I could do more than just teach—to help them beyond the classroom. I’ve had many moments of feeling helpless in my profession, realizing that I only have students for a short time each day and that 180 days is never enough to fix the hurt.”
It’s amazing to know we have a teacher like Ms. Flagel in the Cashmere School District. She’s the one and only teacher I have never heard a student say they didn’t like or were annoyed with, and that’s really saying something because Cashmere does have lots of good teachers. I don’t think anyone can top Ms. Flagel. She has the heart of an angel and shows empathy and care for not just students, but everyone, like no other.
Flagel says, “I know how much I adored my favorite teachers when I was a student, and to be held in that regard is almost overwhelming. I’m just being myself and doing the best I can each day, and if that’s why I’m someone’s favorite teacher, I couldn’t ask for a better compliment.”
