Simply a Supermom: Elizabeth Bowler, Elementary School Teacher

My friend, Liz, has an amazing gift to nurture those around her.  I had plenty of opportunity to see this special gift in action through witnessing the growth of my daughter who was in her third grade elementary class last year, and I was also able to personally observe it as I had the privilege to spend a few hours a week in her classroom.  As the year progressed, my amazement at her love and compassion for each child in her class continued to grow as I saw example after example of  Christlike characteristics in the way she interacted with all those around her.  Even though my daughter's third grade year is over,  "Miss Bowler"continues to nurture and care for her as well as all the other children she has ever taught.

 When being picked up from school, or after finishing an after school performance or rehearsal, it was a common occurrence to have my daughter take me by the arm and pull me over to find wherever Miss Bowler was. 
Then as soon as we found her she would let go of my hand, run to her and exclaim, "I wish you were my Mom!"  Liz would laugh and say "I'm not your mom; there is your mom" and indicate me as she would accept an almost crushing hug.  I was quick to assure both of them that "Miss Bowler is your mom too and I am so glad you have a mom at school!  I feel a lot better knowing that when I drop you off here each day."

    I am sure patience,  knowledge, and diligence, are just a few of the Christlike Attributes that  Liz exemplifies(Preach my Gospel Chapter 6).  Her patience is evident in the individual love she shows to each child, even though she teaches at least 40 students in her classroom every day, besides all the others who continue to come visit her after school.  She shares her knowledge of the subjects she is expected to teach, but also incorporates many fun, and sometimes overlooked, supplemental subjects including  music and movement, information about other countries (which she is an avid traveler herself whenever she has the opportunity),  and simple creative crafts.  Diligence is manifested by her continuous efforts to improve herself through her own education, through change and adaptation in the classroom as needed, and especially in the fact that she never gives up on any of her students.  She continues to show compassion, encouragement and trust in her belief that each child can succeed.

I thought of so many specific examples of how I saw her touch individual lives, but I will simply describe one of my favorites:  When a few of her students, including my own little Morning Glory, were performing in an evening ballet, "Rataballet," Supermom Miss Bowler used her own time to not only come and show support by watching the performance, but also in shopping for a perfect little gift for the dancers: a little Pez  dispenser with the Disney character of a rat from Ratatouille.   She also brought her camera and took the time to find each of her students and take a picture for her own memory scrapbooks, and the ones she makes for each of her students to remember the year.

 

Thanks so much, Liz for being a wonderful mom for my precious daughter and to so many others!

Be Inspired,