Yeah, I Said It: Thank a Teacher
As today is officially Teacher Appreciation Day, I thought I'd honor some of my own teachers who taught me quite a bit while I was in their charge. I'm grateful for their contribution to shaping my life in so many different ways and am reminded afresh how even the smallest things can make a big difference.
I appreciate:
My mom, Charlotte, for teaching me from the beginning at home (and in class in 8th grade) that proper English grammar always matters.
Kathy Hurd, for being the first teacher (3rd grade) I really cared about impressing because she expected things specifically from me.
Jay Hollingsworth, for being the first male teacher I had (5th grade) and planting the seed that education is an okay field for men.
Sue Glecker, for teaching me lots of helpful grammar rules in sixth grade that I still remember.
Ken Stauffer, for teaching baseball and basketball fundamentals in junior high and emphasizing the importance of team.
Lois Cloyd, for helping me learn to appreciate the trombone in high school, which got me in free to dozens of Mizzou sporting events later in college.
Judy Steers, for teaching me music theory for the majority of my elementary, junior high, and high school years.
Chuck McCormick, for being a lot more interesting personally than physics and chemistry ever were.
Peg Ratliff, for being my best friend in high school (even though I never had her for class).
Jan Dawson, for always encouraging my art attempts by telling me to cut off my ear and send it to her.
Betsy Pulliam, for being more passionate about math than I ever imagined a person could be.
Nanette Bess, for never complaining about having the world's smallest classroom (literally a closet).
Tom Leahy, for being an effective administrator with a heart.
Ken Bradbury and Chuck West, who even though they taught at a different school, were great examples of how Christian faith could inform and impact their vocation.
Dr. Walt Schroeder, for being the only college professor I remember who was still interested in me and my future even though my plans had nothing to do with his discipline (geography).
Dr. Jerram Barrs, for teaching me about the doctrine of common grace and helping me grasp the concept of covenant children.
Dr. Phil Douglass, for telling me six years ago that he thought I'd end up being a Head of School one day and that he believed it would be a good thing.
Dr. Jack Collins, for the phrase "Don't hear what I'm not saying" and for getting worked up in class about all the right things.
Dr. MIchael Williams, for helping me learn that when we arrive at the wrong answer, it's often because we're not asking the right question.
Dr. Dan Doriani, for his friendship, counsel, and daughter advice before, during, and after my seminary experience.
Dr. Donald Guthrie, for his encouragement within my education studies as we processed my early teaching experiences.