Some Teachers are Unforgettable

My first teachers were my grandmother and my mother and they were the best. They are long gone, but in my memory they remain and I often utilize the education that they provided for me. As a student of the public schools, I met and learned under a wide array of male and female teachers. Some of them I remember very well. Most of them I don't. I went to 11 different schools to get to my high school graduation from Pre-School to Kindergarten, to Elementary School, to Middle School, to Jr. High School, and finally High School. I also graduated from two colleges. In the end, the hardest lessons and teachers I had were the ones I had in regards to the "real world school" or Pinellas County Jail. That was where everything I had learned for 47 years was tested to the absolute extreme; Where my pride had to be swallowed while I explored the depths of humility.

I made a list of my favorite teachers from the schools I went to. The list includes the names of ten teachers. I have memories of many other experiences, some ok and some not very good, and of other teachers that I had, yet I can not remember their names. There is probably a very important and good reason why I can't remember. The teachers whose names I remember and who have made it to my top ten list were teachers who made a positive difference in my life, not just because they were good teachers, but because they did or said something that affected me in a positive way and helped me carry on when I wasn't sure if I would make it.

It all begins with my fourth grade teacher: Ms. Sherry. She was lovely, brilliant, and so full of compassion and idealism. She was kind to all the students and continually provided sources of inspiration for our learning. I remember her science fairs, her reading out loud, and her special projects which included a talent show and a field trip. The memory of her class and how she made me feel is deeply embedded in my mind.

Then there was my 10th grade Drama teacher: Ms. Maslin. Not only did she really care about her subject, she really cared about the students too. I was so honored to be chosen to be in the school play. It was the first thing that seemed to be going right for me as a new student at Deerfield Beach High School. When my mother said she didn't have time to pick me up from rehearsals I was crushed; but Ms. Maslin didn't give up on me. She actually drove me home every day that we had rehearsal just so I could be in her play. I can not express how grateful I am about that and how special it made me feel. The 15-year-old girl that sat in her car and listened to her sing and share her wisdom had no idea that her life mattered in any way. Ms. Maslin showed me the love that I needed desperately at that time and made me feel that there was hope for me to be and do great even when the odds were against it.

My two favorite teachers at Bloomingdale High School were Mrs. Davis (my English teacher) and Mr. Hauer (my Psychology teacher). There were a lot of teachers there that I did not care for and they knew how I felt about them, but they didn't care, which is exactly why I felt the way I felt. Not everybody liked Mrs. Davis because she was somewhat strict. She didn't tolerate much horseplay or misbehaving. I liked that her class was mostly quiet, peaceful, and orderly. She wanted us to read and learn the material. She didn't want us to waste the opportunity to learn what she was sharing. I ate it up. She saw quickly that I was a fan and she rewarded me with a reading part of My Fair Lady. She was impressed with my dramatic flair and the students enjoyed it too. I did so well in her class, that the following year the counselors recommended that I attempt English Honors class. I didn't do well without Mrs. Davis though. Mr. Hauer taught Psychology which was an elective. I'm not even really sure why I decided to take his class except for curiosity. I was so glad that I got to learn with him though. He was a joy - so full of life, so much fun to listen to and be around, and so kind to the students. He once made me feel so special when he was reading the newspaper that I was an editor and writer for. He read an article that I had written to the whole class. He was giving me high praise and it felt great. With his opinion on my side I thought for sure I must have talent in writing and maybe that would be a career for me. One simple gesture on his part made me feel like a million bucks. That's the power of being a good teacher.

Once I was in college, the professors were much like the high school teachers; some were boring and ineffectual while others were inspirational and great at giving positive feedback. At H.C.C. the two teachers who had the most impact on me were Dr. Scofield (who taught my Humanities course) and Reg Poling (another Drama and Theater teacher). Dr. Scofield was a trip. It seemed like everybody loved him. He was so passionate about his subject it was almost funny. The way he would describe the things we were learning about in our books tickled the students funny bones because he had been to most of the places and seen most of the artifacts and he was absolutely in love with all of it. I couldn't help but fall in love with it too. I couldn't wait for my chance to see all the things he was teaching us about. As for Reg, he was more than just a good teacher - he was a dear friend. Someone who didn't look at his students as just "younger" people, but as "his" people - meaning he knew we all shared the love of theater and that in that love we could always find a way to learn something and grow together. He was amazing. There was one other great professor at H.C.C: Mr. Davis, who I believe was my first Psychology teacher at college. It wasn't the subject that turned me on while I enjoyed being his student. It was how we could converse after class together. He made me feel like a human being and he spoke to me seriously yet with compassion. That was memorable to me.

Finally, the last professional teachers to make my list were from the University of South Florida where I earned my Bachelor's of Science degree in English Education: Dr. Wyly (who taught British Literature), Ms. Merry Perry (who taught Shakespeare), and Mrs. Michaela Meyers, who I was assigned to as an intern at Tampa Bay Technical High School.

I had been warned about Dr. Wyly's class. Other students told me he was very hard to pass and that I should take notes on everything. I sat in his class a bit fearful that I would fail. He was a lecturer and he wanted his students to pay attention. He didn't want to waste his breath. I always tried to take notes and remember what he said. I earned a B in his class and I thought that was a great achievement. When I was done with his class, I felt that I had learned a lot, and I was grateful for that.

Ms. Perry was charming from the get go. She loved her subject and she loved people. I felt intimidated upon my first arrival in her class. I wasn't sure if I had what it took to pass a class on Shakespeare. I had studied some of his work in high school, but this was college, and I was nervous. She made it fun and easy. She gave us tons of resources and I was able to produce the journals and research papers that she requested with my natural curiosity and talent. She loved me and rewarded me with an A. Her ability to teach and to reward my efforts built up my confidence.

Last, but definitely not least, Mrs. Meyers, my mentor and one of my best friends. We often asked each other as we got to know each more and more "How do YOU do what you do?" and then we would laugh. It was funny. She saw me as talented and strong and capable. I saw the same things in her. It was like meeting a sister soul-mate.

When I did my 8 months of jail time at Pinellas County Jail for my first felony, I learned a lot about myself and about life. I didn't have traditional teachers. Every inmate was a student and a teacher. I didn't get any certifications for doing time there. It was a very unique educational experience. At first I hated it and resented it. It's still hard for me to believe that I was there. But after having been done with it for almost two years now, I've learned to appreciate what I learned from that school as well.