Most students at Roosevelt know Ms.Dempsey as the teacher with a warm smile and calm style, but not everyone knows how long she has dreamed of teaching. She still remembers being in eighth grade, writing an assignment about her future. In that moment, she pictured herself working with young people, helping them grow, and building a classroom where everyone can feel welcome.
Even though she tried other things before teaching, education always stayed in her heart. “Ever since I was little, I knew I was going to be involved in education”, she said.
However, when she finally stepped into her first classroom, she discovered that teaching was very different from what she had imagined. She thought everything would be organized and perfect. Instead, she found out that teaching is “messy.’’ Every student needs something different, and nothing ever goes exactly as planned. She learned to let go of perfection and focus on what students need that day.
When she talks about the students she will never forget, she does not mention the ones with the highest grades or the most perfect Behavior. She talks about the relationships. “The students I remember most are the ones I knew the best”, she said. Building connections is one of the biggest reasons she teaches.
For Ms.Dempsey, Roosevelt feels like family. She loves that the school has many different clubs, activities, and cultures. She believes it’s a place where every student can find a home. “Everybody can find a space for themselves here”, she said.
In her classroom, she hopes students learn more than just literacy. She hopes they understand their identity, their strengths, and the power they carry inside themselves. She wants them to walk out feeling more confident when they walk in.
If she could give advice to her younger self during her first year of teaching, she would tell her two simple things: “go home earlier and stop trying to make everything perfect”. Even on tough days, something good is still happening in the classroom.
One of her proudest moments is seeing former students after they graduate. When they tell her what they are doing now, she feels honored to be part of their journey. She always feels proud when she sees students doing something they love right now, whether it is performing or growing in her class.
Ms.Dempsey is the type of teacher who believes in her students even before they believe in themselves. And that’s why so many will never forget her.
