by piglover

Created on: August 15, 2009

Thinking back to teachers we were subjected to or to teachers we were fortunate enough to have had is something we all do unless we were home schooled. We all have teachers that bring a smile to our faces when we think about them. We all have that teacher or those teachers that make us shudder when we allow ourselves to remember.

The important thing is the particular emotion evoked from each teacher was directly related to the amount of information learned in that classroom. My first grade teacher seemed patient and caring. I think I hung on every word she said. I will remember my very first take home reading book until the day I die. Almost all of the words in that book were from the -ark family. It centered around Mark Park. He was an adventurous boy who walked in the dark. I took that walk with Mark a dozen times that first night. I just couldn't believe that I could read a story to myself because my teacher taught me to read. Amazing. I wish I could tell her that I became a double English major some years later and haven't been able to put books down since. That first grade experience (we didn't have a Kindergarten yet in my school) started a life long love affair with education.

The love affair up through the grades to senior in high school never ended my love for learning, but it did show me that not everyone was meant to teach. I had other teachers through the years that left memorable impressions because they were talented and helped me understand whatever they were trying to impart to my knowledge base. Unfortunately, I also had teachers that had no talent for imparting wisdom, but would have been better suited for any job not at all related to dealing with children. I had one teacher that taught an upper level senior English class in high school.

This class was meant to be for college readiness. I took it because I was an A student, and I was going to college. It seemed a very logical choice for my schedule. There was no other choice of teacher for the class, and I had heard terrible rumors about this particular teacher. Not being one to judge others from here-say, I signed up with enthusiasm excited about what we would have to read and papers we might have to write. The reading list looked great, and I began the first book with relish making sure to have the assigned portion ready for the discussion the following day.

I remember one girl commenting the next day that she hadn't started the book yet because her grandfather

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