Teachers That Matter
One of my children has a teacher who doesn't seem to like students or teaching. Burn-out case or simply someone who doesn't have the empathy gene (or a poor match for my child--though I've heard from other students and parents so I don't think that's it in entirety), it doesn't much matter, because the end result is a kid turned off from what could be a truly exciting subject. Been there myself. I've blogged here before about a math teacher, immortalized forever in my book, High School Bites, who terrified her class. Who seemed to delight in humiliation.
But that got me thinking about teachers who did matter to me--not in the nightmares they gave, but in a good way. I actually had more of that experience in college . . . professors who were PART of the university community, who really cared and got involved. But I do remember one high school English teacher. And the book that did it.
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. I came home and told my mother about all the symbolism and foreshadowing (new concepts to me) in the book (to which she said I was likely full of shit because people over-read into books). But I was hooked. While classmates grumbled about how boring it was, I saw the magic in every word, on every page. This was a reason to come to school. Hell, it was a reason for living! It wasn't that I hadn't loved other books--I was a big fan of Dickens. But something about the way the book unfolded made me hold my breath. Who was this Boo Radley?
My teacher made it all come alive for me. And it was my first. A book that changed everything. There was reading before Harper Lee, and reading after it. And English class before my 9th grade teacher and English class after it.
Anyone else? Teachers (and books for that matter) that changed the world?
But that got me thinking about teachers who did matter to me--not in the nightmares they gave, but in a good way. I actually had more of that experience in college . . . professors who were PART of the university community, who really cared and got involved. But I do remember one high school English teacher. And the book that did it.
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. I came home and told my mother about all the symbolism and foreshadowing (new concepts to me) in the book (to which she said I was likely full of shit because people over-read into books). But I was hooked. While classmates grumbled about how boring it was, I saw the magic in every word, on every page. This was a reason to come to school. Hell, it was a reason for living! It wasn't that I hadn't loved other books--I was a big fan of Dickens. But something about the way the book unfolded made me hold my breath. Who was this Boo Radley?
My teacher made it all come alive for me. And it was my first. A book that changed everything. There was reading before Harper Lee, and reading after it. And English class before my 9th grade teacher and English class after it.
Anyone else? Teachers (and books for that matter) that changed the world?
Labels: books, Harper Lee, teachers
posted by Erica Orloff at 4:55 PM
10 Comments:
I had a fantastic English teacher called Mr Archer when I was 15. He passion for novels, poetry, plays and films was infectious. He was truly interested in our opinions; he treated us like equals and we respected him in return. He encouraged creativity too - our first assignment was to write a short story. He praised mine to the skies in front of the class, I was so proud that I nearly burst! He was definitely one of the reasons that I studied English at Uni and am now a writer.
Thanks for stirring those great memories Erica. Keep up the good work!
hellojed:
Sounds like a great one!
Yes, great teachers make learning infectious.
I never had an inspiring English teacher, but because my mind had always been focused on art, I didn't realize that english lit came easier to me than other subjects. I would ace essays on shakespeare and creative writing. But I had one teacher who taught economics--I mean who found economics fun?--who used to zing candy bars across the classrooms to get us involved. I'd study extra hard on the geography just to be part of his hoots and cheers when kids got answers right. :) :)
kelly:
Candy in economics! I needed a teacher like that. ;-)
E
OMG To Kill A Mockingbird...9th grade English. It was our teacher's first year to teach freshmen--up to then she'd only taught seniors--and she let me read whatever I wanted! Also my 6th grade Reading (was it reading? I know it wasn't English) teacher Mrs. Atkinson--her husband was the principal *g*
I went to school at the George Washington U. where many of our teachers were also working professionals in their field. I had a poli sci professor who was a working diplomat with State who would look at the headlines in newspapers and say, "Yeah, it really didn't happen that way in Syria when I was there last week." He would read newspapers to us in original Mandarin, Korean and Russian, translating along the way. The guy was a nerdy old Korean guy but he enthralled me. I had the biggest crush on him.
amie:
Sometimes first-year teachers are great--no burnout. My English teacher was ancient--but wonderful and still a passionate teacher.
E
karm:
He sounds like a totally neat teacher!!
E
I've a fabulous economics teacher who's one of the reasons why I'm majoring in econs at university.
Beyond the fact that he's one of those people who can teach, he really does love to teach and he loves the subject.
It shows too. We enjoy the class--we get pretty loud but the class gets away with it because he's the principal, LOL. We put in effort and of all our teachers, we worry about disappointing him the most, because he've given so much to us.
may:
Inspiring! When I get on certain subjects--quantum physics, Buddhism, Dickens . . . --that kind of enthusiasm naturally shows through. I think great teachers have that ability--to share their passion. My daughter's teacher shares only contempt.
E
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