Everyone, a rousing heartfelt round of applause to teachers

[hatredisnotavalue]

I take a lot of walks in the woods with our new dog. Yesterday, I was pondering how we all have seemed to have lost focus on 9/11 and its causes and how our government could have prevented it.

Today, I thought about one of the most important segments of our population, our teachers. My kids have exceptional ones. So did I. I had an English teacher in the 70's who turned me on to Camus and Hesse and Kafka.

My point is that we don't recognize teachers enough. This thread is for you. Nominate a teacher of the year and how they influenced your life. Here's to you Mr.Nichols. I think of you often.

[BrklynLiberal]

1. The future of our nation is in the hands of our teachers.

They are so totally under appreciated that it is a crime.

[hatredisnotavalue]

2. Who was your favorite teacher? N/T

[BrklynLiberal]

9. I was very lucky. I had mostly great teachers.

Almost all of my memories of school are good.
I had an English teacher in High School who encouraged everyone to have their own interpretation of what they read, and get excited about literature. That was wonderful.
I had a Math teacher in Junior High who showed us tricks and shortcuts that really impressed me. She made math seem like a great puzzle.
I had a Mythology teacher and a Biology teacher who loved their subjects so much that it was hard not to love the subjects as well.

[MountainLaurel]

3. To that anonymous GA

I had for freshman English composition at WVU. It was immediately after our office meeting about the first essay I wrote that I decided to become a journalist. When you said "there's not much I could tell you to do that would improve upon it," I realized that writing WAS something useful I could do.

To Mrs. Ilich -- when my mom related your apology that I hadn't gotten the recognition and support as other student in the accelerated classes because I was quiet, unskilled socially, and not one of the golden children, it melted away pain and made me realize for the first time that I did not deserve the treatment I received because I didn't know to stand up for myself.

To Mrs. Capral: since I started elementary school, I wanted to be the leader and crossing guard for the walkers when I reached 4th grade. I wanted to wear that orange strappy vest and help the little kids. Then, when I did reach the 4th grade and raised my hand when you asked for the walkers, you just sneered and told me "girls aren't allowed to be guards." To borrow a phrase from feminist theory, that was my "click." I knew that YOU. WERE. WRONG. and that there was no reason my lack of a dick should prevent me from doing that job. I knew that I was going to have to fight my ass off to get my due. But I now realize what a bitter, bitter woman you were, probably because your religion and our small-town culture dictated that if you were going to have a career, it would be as a teacher or a nun. That was my first experience with knowing how wrong a figure in authority could be. But hey, I got out and your ass is still stuck where you were 28 years ago.

[Elidor]

4. I'll second that

And two teachers I particularly appreciate: my SO, soon to be a newly-minted ESL teacher; and DU's own Ulysses.

:toast:

When I become dictator, defense spending will be tied to education spending in a ratio of 1:10.

[fortyfeetunder]

5. Many thanks!

To the numerous science teachers I had who realized when I was a young 'un had the curiosity to pursue science.

To my high school music teacher (may he RIP) thanking for believing in me more than I ever will.

To my pre-cal teacher in college who knew of my talents before I came in the class and gave me encouragement to press on.

And I thank USC for believing in me enough to accept me in their graduate school.

[Wcross]

6. John Baynes- Fairport High School (1981)

He was an excellent teacher that made learning fun. Thank you Mr. Baynes!

[Mikimouse]

7. George Lowe, my dearest friend and mentor of many years...

Who took it upon himself to help me prove to myself that I was worth the trouble it took to educate me. I would never have believed in myself and my potential had I not known George these many years. :yourock:

[Sydnie]

8. I have two special shout outs for teachers

To Larry Triplett, who taught me that history was a living breathing thing everyday. He helped me to pay attention to what was happening around me (during the early 70's), for I was living through history everyday. For letting me bring my embroidery to class to keep my hands busy while my mind was a sponge of every word her spoke. For being not only a teacher but an example of what I could be someday.

To Charlotte Pritt, for bringing us "Great Books and Rhetoric" class in a time when no one was doing anything more than they had to. She taught me that words can have many meanings and can help or hurt as well. She taught me more than what was in the books when she lead us to the State Capitol to lobby for air quality monitoring at a time when no one was even considering it in coal country. She left teaching at the same time I left the school and we both went to the same college. She taught me that we could then be contemporaries and share things on a more adult level, all the while continuing to point the way to discovering myself. She taught me through he later actions that she could put her money where her mouth was and she ran for Governor of the state. I was not there when she did that, but that was one campaign I would have loved to have been involved in. She sent me a christmas card a few years ago, telling me all about the race and her eventual defeat for the office. And through it all, she was still teaching me to have the courage of your convictions, even if the dreams don't all come true the first time.

I tip my hat to both of them for they changed my life for the better in more ways than they will ever know. And I think of them often and send messages of thanks with every thought of them.

[ulysses]

10. Linda Batty

Gifted/Talented teacher in Claremore, OK when I was in school. She took us to the Odyssey of the Mind finals in Michigan my senior year. One of a couple of muses I think about almost daily in my own classroom.

Thanks, Batty! :toast:

[KitchenWitch]

11. Here's to Miss Stewart

who seemed to intuitively know that I had some emotional problems and was very in-tune and supportive of me.

[Cooley Hurd]

12. Mr Darrow... an excellent science teacher!

My favorite.:thumbsup:

He also rode a Harley, drove a Trans-Am and listened to Rush. He even came to my graduation party (he wouldn't smoke a joint with us :( but that was understandable)...

My worst was another science teacher - Mr Onori. Never hesitated to ridicule his students. It's okay though, 'cause he's dead now. Rest in peace, asshole!

[CRK7376]

13. My Mom and Dad,

both life-long educators, the best in the world. Unfortunately my kids were never able to meet their grandparents, my parents' deaths came too soon.

[Misunderestimator]

14. Here's to the good teachers, and paying them more...

I had only a couple of good ones... where I grew up, they paid cowhands better than teachers.

[NewHampshireDem]

15. If you haven't ....

take the time to look them up again and drop them a quick note. It doesn't need to be anything much more than a "thanks for all you've done," kind of thing.

I know I'd appreciate it if one of my former students did that for me. :)

[sendero]

16. I have a special-needs son....

... and from time to time his behavior at school has been a problem.

He's a good-hearted kid, doing the best he can with what he was born with.

Ms. Weathersby always handled problems that arose with fairness, wisdom and compassion. It doesn't get any better than that.