by compound complex 31 Replies latest jw experiences
Dear Grown-Up Students,
A lot of adults were influential in my formative years, but right now I'm thinking of how school teachers got me to where I am today. It's one in particular to whom I owe the most. Her subject and the incredible manner in which she made it live for us students influences me at this very moment. Was it the same for you? Now remember, this is about your favorite teacher, not the one who sent you to the principal's office with a referral slip!
Educationally yours,
CoCo
Ms. Thelma Laughrey. Mostly, because she respected us, (her students) more than she did the school administration and politics.
She was brilliant, funny, and innovative. She introduced us to marvelous reads and ideas that influenced the rest of our lives.
Get this... she had an exploration of death as part of her curriculum (she was a language arts teacher!) She had been battling cancer for years and realized just how poorly death is handled in this country and time every thing is so hush-hush and sterile. She wanted us to be more prepared and aware for the inevitable. She had guest speakers from the community come in... including a morgue director (who had a slide show presentation) and a local clergyman.
She completely and utterly rocked. She is what all TEACHERS should aspire to be. Instead of being dissed and belittled and repressed, the few students who were having a more difficult time in her class would go and personally apologize to her if they didn't have a term paper finished. They loved her, and honestly didn't want to let her down.
In some ways, she is immortal.
Baba.
I have to include two.
Mr. John Hudnor - US History. Mr. Hudnor made the past come alive in your imagination as you sat in his class. While there we some lectures, in most cases he was a hands on teacher. He made you feel what it was like as history passed. He was also a Vietnam Vet whose simple presence commanded respect. He made his expectations clear as well as the consequenses and he stuck to both. You didn't need to be an "A" student but you did need to try your best.
Mr. John "Hutch" Hutchinson - Business Administration. Hutch was a great guy. He was a good natured man who expected your best but was always ready with a little wink if you fell just a little short. He actually took the few good things that I learned from the JW's and showed me how to capitalize on them in the working world. My ability to speak easily in public. My ease in meeting new people (Cold Calls) and the skill of taking what they said and turning around to a topic that I wanted to talk to them about. LOL The Dub's did sort of train me to be a decent sales/marketing guy...cool, manipulative, convincing. He saw those qualities and fine tuned them to the business world and I continue to use them everyday as I earn my living.
Mr. C, my old band teacher. He ruled with an iron fist.
To this day if I have a teacher who is all soft and friendly, I can't stand them. I need the stern hand of a taskmaster.
Mr.Dobbin - he was my English teacher. Real old school, super strict but so passionate about his subject. My grasp of the English language and my love of English literature are fantastic due to him being my teacher.
I miss school, can I go back?
My favourite was Mr Stubbs, my English teacher. He was elderly then, in the 1970's, and close to retirement, I suppose he must be very old now, if he is still alive. It was through his enthusiasm that I went to University to study English, and had my original ambition, as yet unfulfilled, to be an English teacher myself.
Mr Nicolls my chemistry teacher - because he was thorough in his teaching method and knew all his pupil's capabilities.
It was an 'O' level class but because I and a few others struggled with exams, he put us in for a 'CSE' instead - because he knew that we would fail the 'O' level but that we would all get a grade 1 in CSE, which is the equivalent of an 'O' level pass.
We all got grade 1 CSE
Carl Brown, who taught at Westran Jr. High was one of the best!! He was also a friend!!
Jim Hutchinson, who was a counselor at Westran High School, got me thru alot of dark times!! Jim Baker was a great algebra teacher!! He did his best to get my parents to let me take advanced classes, and tried to talk them into preparing for college. Even though he couldn't change their minds, he tried!!
shelley
My favourite teacher?
Mrs Waddington my piano teacher.
She lived in a wonderful Elizabethan house in Kent which had those fantastic old beams and low ceilings, polished wood floors and the obligatory Grandfather clock in the hallway. It was an event just turning up to her house. She must have been in her 60's and I started learning to play when I was about 6 years of age.
She sat next to me as I played and if my hands were not in the correct position (i.e. as if one was holding a tennis ball from above) she would tap my hands, sometimes quite hard(!), with a ruler - I quickly learned.
Unfortunately my parents moved to 'help where the need was greater' and my lessons lapsed.
Mr. Pagliano -- Business Law courses, years 3 & 4 of high school
He was fair to everyone, funny, took no crap, and was one of the most encouraging men I've ever known. He saw through the teenagery b.s. and could see the potential that we had as people. He saw to it we understood what was being taught.
