How about a teacher thread?

The gym teachers stick out in my mind. Nazis in shorts.

One day the weather was bad so we had to stay inside. The didn't have an NFL Films movie on hand so he made us do "chargers" for an hour straight, literally while kids were passing out.

Another one thought himself a great athlete. He took an at bat during one of our softball games and struck out. We finished the hour running laps. Way to teach sportsmanship, coach!

Then there was the day we played softball with aluminum bats while a thunderstorm approached. How we avoided several electrocutions is beyond me but I guess the risk was worth not staying inside and doing chargers for an hour.
 
Mrs. Kjar, 5th grade. Thought I cheated on a math test because even though I had the correct answers I didn't show my work on how I got the answer on the page. Made me stay in at recess and take another test with no one else around. She didn't believe me when I told her I was doing the long division in my head.

Mrs. Gifford, 3rd grade. I have to say I deserved being sent to the principal's office. I hadn't done the assignment but when she asked the class if anyone hadn't, I stayed quiet. I mean, what were the odds she'd pick me to read mine to the class? There were twenty+ other kids. Oops. It was one of those writing assignments where the book gives the first couple of sentences and you use your imagination and fill in the rest. Maybe three or four sentences tops. So she asks me to read what I'd written, and I just start in and go completely off the cuff for maybe two minutes when she stops me and says "You didn't write all that! Let me see your workbook!" Which is of course blank on the page in question. Grabs the ear, marches me to the principal's office. Not because I didn't do the assignment. Because I'd lied to her by not admitting I hadn't done it yet and compounded it by pretending to be reading what I'd written. Back then the principal still had the "board of education" hanging in his office, although I managed to avoid it being used on me. I had to complete the assignment sitting in his office, and the worst part? I couldn't remember a single thing I'd said in the class while trying to brazen it out, and had brain lock trying to come up with something.

It's weird what I remember about grammar school. All the bad stuff I remember. The good stuff? I don't know if there was, because I don't remember any.
 
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I was digging just a minute ago an ran across an old report card? Miss Blankenship!!!! Lord what a Good looking woman she was. 1961! Then their was Mr. Jeter that baled me out of Algebra class so I could graduate.
Also Mr. E.J. Alexander. He was a class act also. Good sense of humor and just a fine man. Wonder where they are today?
 
The best teacher I had was a band teacher. When my parents split up, we moved around a lot and I ended up going to a lot of different schools. I settled into one high school in the middle of my sophomore year. Although I had a job, I took time out for marching band, orchestra and dance band. I think I was a pretty mediocre musician, but Mr. Chambers took an interest in me. He let me drive his car on the way back from a performance (the other kids weren't keen on it). I was poor in high school (no car; not even a phone), but tried to stay presentable. I kept my hair trimmed, bought my own clothes and had them cleaned and pressed regularly. I ended up getting an award from the band when I graduated. It was a special award for being "Most Dedicated". When I enlisted, shortly after graduation, I called Mr. Chambers because I was scheduled to play a street dance in a few weeks. He assumed that I was going to try out for a military band. It threw him for a loop when I told him I was volunteering for the airborne infantry. Fortunately, my recruiter and Army buddy got that idea out of my head. It wasn't what I remember learning from my teachers (but they did seem to get things pounded into my head) it was the caring that really got to me. Although I wasn't a scholar in high school and missed a lot of days, especially my senior year, I ended up an Army Aviator, 0-3; graduated from college with a BS and went on to another career until retirement. My biggest achievement is my long marriage and great kids and now grandkids. I always regretted not letting Mr. Chambers know that he was a part of all of that. The Army also gave me a lot. Taking night school classes with the University of Maryland let me know that higher education was a possibility for me. I don't remember the names of my instructors, but a tip of the hat to them.
 
I had nuns up till 8th grade, between the beatings and "other disciplinary measures," not much good to say. I started working pretty much full time after 10th grade so with "partying," playing, and chasing cat, didn't have much time to like or dislike teachers. I guess they all gave me something, good and bad. Joe
 
Walkin' Jack said:
<SNIP> The first book she read is the reason I'm so passionate about reading all my life. It was titles Johnny Texas on the San Antonio Road. I can't remember who wrote it and I know she'd be disappointed in me for this. <SNIP>
Click to expand...

Carol Hoff wrote the "Johnny Texas" books. I just passed mine on to my daughter (a former teacher) for her two boys. Great books!
 
"Teacher I Need You" by Elton John and Bernie Taupin

I was sitting in the classroom
Trying to look intelligent
In case the teacher looked at me
She was long and she was lean
She's a middle-aged dream
And that lady means the whole world to me

It's a natural achievement
Conquering my homework
With her image pounding in my brain
She's an inspiration
For my graduation
And she helps to keep the classroom sane

Oh teacher I need you like a little child
You got something in you to drive a schoolboy wild
You give me education in the lovesick blues
Help me get straight come out and say
Teacher I, teacher I, teacher I, Teacher I need you

I have to write a letter
Tell about my feelings
Just to let her know the scene
Focus my attention
On some further education
In connection with the birdies and the bees

So I'm sitting in the classroom
I'm looking like a zombie
I'm waiting for the bell to ring
I've got John Wayne stances
I've got Erroll Flynn advances
And it doesn't mean a doggoned thing


Writer(s): Elton John, Bernie Taupin
Copyright: Dick James Music Ltd.
 
My God, we had to do that....

zzzippper said:
One day the weather was bad so we had to stay inside. The didn't have an NFL Films movie on hand so he made us do "chargers" for an hour straight, literally while kids were passing out.

.
Click to expand...

Same scenario. We had a wooden gym floor and I must have been bordering on a case of shin splints before we started because by the end of the period, I was sitting on the floor with tears squirting out of my eyes. Damn that hurts!!!

Another time it was raining the coach took us upstairs to watch a 'fil-um'. He pulled out a movie called 'Childhood Diseases' which had naked pictures of little kids showing their rashes and 'stuff'. That was traumatic and I couldn't wait for class to end.
 
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I only remember being truly inspired by a couple of teachers, one taught biology the other was a debate instructor. Otherwise teachers for the most part just did their jobs and went home. The worst teachers were those that truly had no business teaching due to advanced age, one old geezer was well into his 70's and used to give us our reading assignment and then doze off in his chair, some of us dared to bounce erasers off his bald pate which would have him snort and waken. Another moron was demonstrating kick back on a table saw and promptly severed his right thumb, he used to stand up in front of us in shop and actually stick his hand down the front of his pants, I seem to remember a severe speech impediment as well. Later a popular football jock was using a table saw and knicked his thumb, the old teacher held up his thumb stub and said "Thats what ya get."
 
In all my years of education, I only had two teachers that were worth a darn. 2nd grade - Mrs. Ricciardi ... Old school tough, but loved every single one of her students. Graduate school - Professor Michael Bronner ... 30 years of teaching and he never lost his passion or enthusiasm for the craft.

For my own students, I try to be the teacher I never had.
 
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