Born in Paris and having been educated in Henry County schools, I have thought of many different subjects to write about. I decided, however, to write about memorable teachers I have had.
The very first teacher of note has to be Mrs. Vaughn, my first grade teacher, at Atkins-Porter. She taught me that it was okay to cry when Ma drove away. Being raised in the country, without very many kids to play with, or even to be around very much, it was hard for a 5 year old kid to watch his companion drive away and leave him with a bunch of strangers. Within the week Mrs. Vaughn had me wanting to spend the whole day at school.
Fast forward eight very short years, and Mr. Loudy taught me one of life's greatest lessons: “it is okay to be different.” He showcased that point one day by instructing his class to bring in the lyrics of a song that meant a lot to us. I cannot remember if he read and commented on every song brought in, but he read mine. It was Born to be Wild by Steppenwolf, and Mr. Loudy told me that that song fit me to a T.
My senior year was a very good year for me and I was prepared to meet the real world by a friend/mentor/runnin' buddy, who taught me another of life's lessons. Mr. Maynard taught me that everyone who says he is your friend, is not. He told me of some of the guidelines he used to test true friendship, and I still use them today. Jerry Maynard had a good influence on me, and for that I thank him.
It was good for this week's topic to be 'school days'. It has caused me to think of a very good time in my life, to write about the good times, and to relive, if only in my mind those “Good Old Days!” I am thankful for every teacher who took the time to help me. I know sometimes I am not very teachable and I am very appreciative of the men and women who tried.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
It would be hard to convince a school aged child how quickly their school days will fly by, but the real challenge, is convincing their parents. Folks only have a few years to impress upon their children the importance of an education, and as we know, the parents are the key role models.
I heard today on a radio program that the difference between mediocre schools and great schools boils down to one thing ...and it's not great teachers, it's parental involvement.
So to all the moms and dads out there, if you want to make your child's school days as meaningful and productive as possible, pour some time into their classrooms and into their schools. You, your student and the school will be better for it.
Post a Comment