Do you ever look back on your grade-school days and think of the teacher's who left the greatest impression? Here are 10 such teachers I had:
- Ms. Watts, 1st Grade, NY: She was one of my first teachers, so that alone is pretty memorable, but more than anything I remember reading a lot in her class, and I am sure that helped to foster my own love of reading. I also got to write my first book in her class (I think it was about me and my dad), which was a pretty big deal.
- Ms. Chin, 2nd Grade, NY: She was an incredible teacher who taught us not just the basic second-grade knowledge, but how to embrace different cultures, starting with her own Chinese culture. We learned about our classmate's cultures, enjoyed lots of different food, had wonderful field trips, including my favorite one to China Town, and really enjoyed everyone's company. No classroom ever felt more like a community, and we just knew she loved us all.
- Mr. Bloom, Gym Teacher, NY: He was perhaps one of the most fun adults I knew at that time. We didn't have many male teachers, so for that reason, I'm sure he stood out. Additionally, he was very tall (at least as far as I could see being as small as I was at that age). He would most aptly be nicknamed the BFG of P.S. 205.
- Mrs. Simpson, 3rd Grade, OK: For starters, she was not my teacher. My brother and sister had her and her work with them left an impression on me. My brother was kind of a unique student at that time - he lacked focus. Until Mrs, Simpson, I'm not sure any teacher past kindergarten had ever exercised so much faith in him. She pushed him and encouraged him in a way that produced authentic results. She was genuine and kind and had no prejudice, which was refreshing in a southern school where we were often one of few, if not the only African American students in our classrooms.
- Mr. Z, Art Teacher, OK: I am not sure if I recall his actual last name, but I think it was Zeffarus. Anyhow, he was a wonderful artist and he really encouraged each of his students to grow in their skill (however little they may have started with - I had none) and to see the beauty of art, including their own. I believe he was a fellow New Yorker, which was nice to find in the middle of Oklahoma, given that I had just moved from there. New York friendly is like no other - it seems the most genuine to me.
- Mr. Auwen, Music Teacher, OK: Again, I am unsure of his name, well how to spell it anyway. I remember he would tell us to remember the pronunciation by thinking "Ow, when are are you going to get off of m foot. Honestly, I do not recall a lot of fond memories of him, but I do recall my experience being in his class (interesting), and more so, being in his choir. I remember having to audition to get in, which made it that much more special to be a part of. Having worked with kids and choir as an adult, I look back on what he did with The Darnaby Rangers and Co. (such a legit name for an elementary school choir) and I have so much respect for the results he produced in us and in our performances.
- Mrs. Miranda, 5th, OK: What kind of teacher had a last name that sounded like a chic first name? She was interesting to me before I met her and even more so after. She shared with us about her German culture, which I loved. She appreciated and helped to foster my love for vocabulary, which was important to me. Additionally, she made science come alive even off of the pages of a dull old textbook. We did so many wonderful things with science that year that I credit to her, even if all of the other teachers were doing it - she made me feel like a real scientist. Frankly, she made me feel like an adult, respecting my thoughts and the things that I had to say. She was so very kind too.
- Ms. Cole, 5th, OK: She was my social studies teacher, and like Mrs. Miranda, she stood out for being kinda chic and lots of fun. She brought history to present day with countless creative activities for us. She rewarded hard work, which was basically what I did best.
- Mrs. Rommelman, 8th Grade, GA: She taught history in a Christian School. She was kind of a firecracker in a school where much of the administration seemed zombie-like in their manner of conformity. She conversed with us about history more than she lectured us, and I found that my interest in the subject matter grew as a result. Beyond teaching us history she supported us in our academics, our dreams, and our personal lives. She was one of those teachers who really cared about her students.
- Mr. Emerich, 8th grade, GA: He taught science in a Christian school - that's always interesting. I can remember the Bob Jones University textbook. The subject was incredibly dull and there was little to be done in the way of experiments as far as I can remember. Still, Mr. Emerich's humor (not without a whole lot of sarcasm) made the class survivable and who he was as a person made him all the more memorable. He was sincere, kind of like a strict grandpa, and the latter was true - in fact, his granddaughter was in my class. They were Christians and it showed. Even to this day, it would seem his granddaughter is poised to be an exemplary Pastor's wife, and where that sort of legacy comes from is evident.