S\O: if you or one of your children ever had an exceptional teacher: post about ital

[Catherine]

I have three:

 

My oldest went to high school for one year, ninth grade. His biology teacher was just wonderful. He was a young guy, full of energy and dedication, and he did so many great, creative things with his class: they did an experiment where they made tiny insects (fleas?) follow a line on paper, he made everyone in the class enter a science writing contest, reading and commenting on three drafts for every single kid!! He had them read The Hot Zone (true story of an epidemic) and they discussed it in class, did a really cool project on classification in biology...I could go on. He won the city wide teaching award this year.

 

My middle child had two wonderful teachers before we started homeschooling, kindergarten and second grade. His K teacher was very experienced and handled a rather large class so well. I was almost in tears one day when I was there. There was a boy in the class who clearly needed to be in a different situation-he had some cognitive problems and she had him working on a puzzle, matching magnetic letters with their outlines on a board. Well, after weeks of trying to do this, (she told me later) he did the entire puzzle, and took it and showed it to her. He was so proud. She actually showed it to the class and they encouraged and applauded this boy! I couldn't help thinking that in so many classrooms he would have been singled out as the class pariah, and with a gifted teacher, he actually was working hard and being recognized for his efforts. Not to mention the other children were seeing a good example of how to support someone who is struggling. She was just lovely.

 

The second grade teacher was just someone the children loved and tried to please-she read to them every day from a big rocking chair.

 

I really look to my recollections of these people when I am running out of ideas here! Does anyone else to that?

[BamaTanya]

I remember all and loved most of my teachers. Maybe it's just me.

 

As a teacher, though, I feel more qualified to judge. I taught in 2 pss -- one suburban and one inner-city. I got burned out in the inner-city school. After I got married and had dc, I became overwhelmed with discipline problems, paperwork, and the lack of parental and administrative support. I was not an excellent teacher, but there were many there. We probably had 35 teachers at any given time, and I can only remember 3 that I would not have wanted for my own dc in those 8 years. Some of the brand new green teachers, even though inexperienced, were so dedicated and bright and enthusiastic that it made up for what they hadn't learned. And some of the veteran teachers -- well, I'm not sure they wouldn't be able to teach a puppy to read. There was an emotional conflict (that's what it was called then) self-contained classroom next to mine for a couple of years, and you could hear a pin drop in that room. The teacher NEVER raised her voice. Students no one else could control were successful and respectful and calm there.

 

In the suburban school with approx 60 teachers -- probably the same ratio. There were SEVERAL teachers at every grade level I would have hand-picked to teach my dc. And, being a special ed teacher, I had opportunities to float in and out of their classrooms often. Some were so home-like. Carpets, reading nooks, lamps, stuffed animals . . .

 

I was on the stage during the 5th grade honors program when one of the special ed students (extremely low functioning) received a certificate. Peers had to help direct her toward the stage. She received a STANDING OVATION from everyone. We were all in tears. It had been a loving environment for her growth!

 

Our experience with our oldest ds with Asperger Syndrome has left me IN AWE of a couple of the teachers he has had. Teachers who could motivate and inspire him better than I could at home (I tried!) -- who helped him break through some plateaus.

 

I know there are some duds. I regret that I didn't do better. But I admire teachers, still.

[littlebug42]

I was a ps kid and my senior AP English teacher in high school was the best teacher I have ever had - public school or college. He had very high expectations for us, worked our behinds off and inspired us to want to work our behinds off. We had weekly vocabulary tests on which we had to know the literal and functional definition of each word along with the meanings and origins of each root, prefix and suffix. I remember acting out "The Canterbury Tales". He would sit in a chair on top of his desk during tests wearing black Ray-Ban sunglasses so no one could ever see where he was looking to keep anyone from daring to cheat. I can say that when I went to take a literature course in college, at first, I was disappointed because it did not live up to his standards. I have spoken to many others that had this teacher and we can all agree about what a tremendous impact he had on our lives.

[patchfire]

The two best teachers I had in high school were not education majors. One of them was a lawyer who got tired of practicing law and decided to return to his first love - history. Because I attended a private school, he was not required to have official "teaching credentials." Similarly, my best math teacher had a master's in math, not a formal teaching degree.

 

The worst teachers in high school were the one who were alumnae* of my school, and had done a straight degree in education, only taking the required courses for their specific fields.

 

 

*All-girls school, hence 'alumnae' vs. 'alumni' (So I did manage to learn some Latin from one of them, anyway!)

[OnTheBrink]

My son's first and second grade teachers were wonderful. His first grade teacher was my best friend's mom, and she knew him from infancy. Because she knew him so well, she could guide and teach him in a way that he could relate. She identified him as gifted long before the schools tested for it and taught him accordingly.

 

Same with his 2nd grade teacher. She was an older woman, took no guff, but zeroed in on how to teach ds effectively.

 

That was it. It was all downhill from there until I pulled him out of ps in 9th grade.

 

Personally, I had 3 teachers in my 12 years of public school that I'd consider great teachers. Mrs. Joy Counts, my 6th grade teacher, read aloud to us after lunch every day and had sensitivity and insight to my crappy home life. She never let me get away with anything, but she was gentle and firm and someone I kept in contact with for many years after I left 6th grade and Texas. Mrs. Wrin, my senior year AP English teacher was also a great teacher, making difficult literature relatable to me. And, my band director my freshman year, Mr. Acciani. That man could get 200 high school kids to march and play to the absolute best of our ability and we have the trophies to prove it!

 

The others? Meh. Can't even remember most of their names.

[hsmamainva]

My youngest daughter has had two exceptional teachers! One was her special needs preschool teacher. My daughter was with her for two years.

 

My daughter had a terrible experience with her Kindergarten teacher at another school in the area. We ended up pulling her out before the year even ended. Then we were given the opportunity to transfer to the school she's in now and it's wonderful!!!

 

Her current teacher, "Ms. Robin", teaches the autism class and she is just terrific! She's very calm and very soft-spoken. She has incredible patience! Most of her students are completely non-verbal and many have quite a few behavior issues.

 

My daughter just LOVES her!!

 

We love her, too! When our daughter started in her class, she asked me what materials we had been using at home and one of them is Singapore Math. She said, "Oh, I love Singapore math! If you bring the books in, we'll use that for her, instead of the public school math program." :D

[AngelaNYC]

For me, my 9th grade Algebra teacher was exceptional. He was passionate about what he taught, very strict - but very respectful to the students. In turn, we were respectful to him. I left that class with an A+ and a new love of math.

 

The only teacher worthy of praise that one of my kids had (out of dozens) would be my oldest's 3rd grade teacher. Dd transferred from Catholic school to public in November of that year. This teacher (and the kids!) made dd feel so welcome. Dd went from straight Ds to straight As on the Honor Roll within a couple of months. Dd participated in so many activities on the encouragement of this teacher. I cried when the year was over, lol. If only all teachers has that amount of dedication, passion, and joy in what they do.

 

But unfortunately, these are very few and far between.

[LibraryLover]

We've been blessed to know several people in education who have inspired us.

Edited July 26, 2009 by LibraryLover

[Rainbows]

My youngest DD had a wonderful teacher for 2nd grade. She was warm and loving and created a fabulous learning environment for her students. She managed to keep some of the fun and joy in learning, which seems to be lacking in our public schools today (teaching to test is more the norm, at least here)

[dirty ethel rackham]

My kids have been fortunate to take some homeschool science classes from a then grad student at our local college. She taught classes for different ages. Her high school science labs were outstanding. Her class on the scientific method for k - 3 was outstanding. She is phenomenal. We are fortunate to have her teaching a biology lab this fall.

 

Ds15 has an excellent Latin teacher through Regina Coeli Online Academy. She in engaging and makes Latin fun. My son had a smile on his face the entire classtime and he was motivated to learn. Mrs. Robinson shares her passion for her subject.

 

I had an excellent Math teacher in 7th and 8th grade - Miss Ganas. She did a great job teaching algebra as well as reaching those kids who struggled in math. We always looked forward to her class. She retired 2 years ago. I was, unfortunately, out of town for her retirement party or I would have went.

[Laurel]

I had wonderful teachers in public school. (I will preface this by saying that my parents purposely bought their house in a great school district and my mother hand-picked our elementary teachers.) Almost all of my teachers were very good (I can think of 2 I clashed with - the Tech teacher in 8th grade and my English teacher in 10th), and quite a few were exceptional.

 

My first grade teacher, third grade teacher, 4th and 5th grade GT teacher (math and language arts), 6th and 7th grade math teacher, Freshman English teacher, Latin teacher, Junior English teacher, US History Teacher, 10th and 11th Math teacher, Computer Science teacher, Physics teacher, Asian Studies teacher, AP Spanish teacher, AP French teacher - these were all teachers that were passionate about children (in the younger years) and their subjects (in middle and high school), that inspired me and made me want to learn.

[johnandtinagilbert]

My 3rd grade math teacher inspired me to Love math and has made a difference in how I approach my teaching of the subject.

 

My 4th grade english teacher still read aloud to us...I remember her often.

 

My 5th grade teacher took special interest in me and helped me navigate life during my parents separation and divorce.

 

My 10th grade Comp. teacher encouraged my gift in writing and made me realize how much I love to write.

 

my 11th grade World Civ teacher was the only teacher to truly prepare me for college.

 

my 12th grade math teacher tried effortlessly to teach me calculus. She dedicated a lot of time to me.

 

:grouphug::grouphug::grouphug::grouphug: to them all. True lovers of their job and students.

[Jeannie in NJ]

my 5th grade teacher would have all of us students rest our heads on our desks after lunch while she read to us from all the classics that I still love today.

 

My 12th grade English teacher would have us write a timed essay every Friday and that made my college years much easier, at least with writing.

 

My special ed son was in early intervention preschoo and k for a total of 3 years with the same teacher, Miss Dolly. She had a rocking chair in her classroom and would often hold the kids while she read to them. Also parents were encouraged to visit the classroom at any time. My son came home to be homeschooled from 1st until this past year when I put him into 5th grade at the intermediate school . One day I had to call the primary school for something and the secretary there remembered my son and said lots of nice things about him.

[newbie]

My dd had all great teachers this yr. But, had some that stood out and really helped her whenever she needed it.

 

So props to Ms. Bingham, Mr. Sigander and Mrs. Palenque at K12 Icademy, keep up the great work.