Thank a teacher

As a teenager at Tamalpais High School in Mill Valley, California, I was lucky to be a part of the student-run theater company, the Conservatory Theatre Ensemble, founded by Dan Caldwell and co-led by Dan and Susan Brashear.

I knew CTE then as a personal incubator for students of all stripes, a place where their passions and quirks were valued and their creativity was challenged to grow. CTE was nothing like the typical high school drama program that's all about staging big musicals and making students stars. At Tam, theater was (and still is -- CTE lives on) about so much more than acting; the stage is a tool to teach students about the power of art and the power within themselves.

The trick Susan and Dan pulled off was to take students’ passion for performance and transform it into artistic and personal discipline. They reinforced and expanded on Dan’s adage that “it’s the art in yourself, not yourself in the art.” The secret: they expected nothing less than for 14- to 18-year-olds to effectively run a production company, and they gave us teens enough guidance and support to succeed.

CTE students produce plays almost constantly throughout the year, and every student must participate fully, from studying lines to working the box office to operating the lights. Older students direct and younger ones act in semiannual one-act festivals, plunging teens into leadership and performance roles early on. Visiting artists bolster students’ understanding of professionalism and teach such specialties as set design, playwriting and improvisation. Juniors and seniors in CTE play key roles in organizing all of this.

Underpinning these activities, Susan and Dan taught students the philosophies and techniques of dramatic masters, such as Alexander and Stanislavski. They loved theater’s potential to move and educate (not just impress) an audience, and that passion infected their students, too. Throughout the experiences, we were challenged to examine and re-examine our own work, continually seeking to improve.

Looking back, I see that CTE didn’t merely give me a spotlight to perform in; it taught me leadership, dedication and teamwork and instilled in me a lifelong reverence for the power of theater. And I know that I am just one of many.

When I was in 9th or 10th grade (it's all a blur at this age) I had a wonderful English teacher who made reading and writing totally rad (that's what we used to say back then ;0). I loved her class, but she rarely gave high marks and I remember worrying that she'd probably be the one to torpedo my GPA for college apps.

After one particular writing assignment, she handed back the papers and mine was the only one with a note attached to the top. I peeked under the note and saw an A -- I was floored. But then I saw the note was actually from a UC Berkeley professor who was a friend of hers. His note encouraged me to keep writing! I couldn't believe my teacher thought enough of my work to share it with a professor.

I think that was a turning point for me. Before Ms. S, it never occurred to me that I could grow up to be a writer -- I hadn't even planned to major in English. But I eventually did and became a journalist. I often think about my teacher's simple gesture. She probably had no idea the impact it would have on me, but it changed the course of my life.

As a senior in high school, my world history teacher, Al Wilkerson, (the self subscribed 'Congo Cowboy') made a huge impression on me as to what I and my classmates were capable of. He refused to accept mediocre work and motivated all of us to give our best. I remember when at the end of the first nine-week when I received a B+, which I was OK with. He said, "Smith (my maiden name), You're capable of a A, I expect an A. I earned A's after that in his class. Throughout my journey as a special education teacher, school psychologist, and now as a professor of special education, I have never forgotten his insistence on excellence. Al, thank you for believing in all of us.

This is my public Thank You to Miss Meehan, who died many years ago--before I took the time to send her the thank you note I had always intended to write! Miss Meehan seemed the stereotype of the spinster English teacher to me in the late 60's when I took her class. My friends and I spent a good deal of time giggling over her idiosyncrasies, but we knew she was a solid teacher, and more important than that, we knew she really cared about us. In fact,she made a special effort to write some important recommendations for me before and during college. I ran into her a few times during and shortly after college, and she never failed to ask about my life, my family, my progress in school. Now that I think of it, I guess Miss Meehan became something of a role model for my own English teaching career. I will admit, too, that I feel an occasional twinge of guilt when I receive an email message or a letter out of the blue from one of my former students, thanking me for my impact on their lives. I regret I did not tell Miss Meehan how much she meant to me while I could!

I taught on the Lower Eastside in Manhattan for over 10 years during 1970's. It was a challenge with 7-9 graders of multilingual immigrants and a black population. The skills of many students were severely lacking. My colleague Judith Kocela Hawk suggested having the students keep a journal, which they handed in weekly. No edits or corrections especially in RED were done. They were asked to write anything that came to mind, draw pictures etc. I remember it took almost the entire weekend to read them, but I read everyone of them and commented. I guess it was our time to "chat". The students would come to class to retrieve their journals to see what I wrote. It was a wonderful idea and thank you Judith for suggesting this! Judith was ultimately honored with an award for best English Teacher by a student at Williams College 1997.

To all of my colleagues, faculty and staff, at
Hanson Memorial High School in Franklin, LA:
For cultivating a reflective culture of
character through responsibility, integrity,
improvement and love, I am truly thankful and
grateful. Thank you for your unwavering
commitment and dedication. Vince

As a first-year teacher, Diane Israel taught us choral music and confidence. Two lessons which can carry a girl through just about anything! She continues to spread these gifts, and every student of her's I've ever met holds the same gratitude to her. Truly the best of the best!

Thank you to the excellent and inspiring teachers I had at Holton-Arms School. We were lucky to have so many who made such strong impressions: Bob Tupper, Carolyn Terry, Jean Hill, Annie Lippold, Paul Puckett, Diane Chong, Sally Alexander...I could go on. There were even teachers with whom I didn't have classes who clearly cared about the students and showed it in many ways each day.

I've had many memorable teachers throughout my childhood and adolescent years, but those who really stood out to me are my preservice mentors from Fremont Professional Development School, Las Vegas. I struggled throughout my early practicum service, where negative experiences and interactions with my first supervisor made me really question my ability to teach. I loved education and I wanted to be a teacher with a passion, but was told I was not fit to teach and should give up.

I am glad that I persevered because I would not have had the opportunity to get to student teaching and find my lifelong mentors in my cooperative teacher and new supervisor--Sharon Kerr and Ann Entzel. They believed in me, built me up and helped me become the confident strong person I am today. They knew I was extraordinary and helped me see that in myself. Thank you.

Value Beyond the Classroom

Life does not always prepare our students for the realities they face when they enter the working world. My parents, socioeconomic status and the unfortunate experiences that I survived as a child did not show a bright future for me. Struggling to make grades, make money to support our family and constantly battling to fit in to a world that does not always accept "poor children," was exhausting. By the time I was in high school I was weary of the world. I had a councelor who actually told me that I was not "college" material and should explore factory or similar work. Then I got mad and decided that no one or anything would dictate my life. College was difficult but very rewarding. Mary Brock my councelor and professor taught me that being a teacher is more than dispelling information and providing assistance to get from point A to point B. She personally guided each of her students through their college life both educational and personal. She was always there for all of us. On graduation day she waited at a strategic position to greet each of her students as they exited the auditorium. I went on to get my Master's Degree with full honor. Mary taught me that you have to care about the student as much as the lesson.