Memorable Teachers

Over the course of my life so far, there have been many people who have inspired me in some way or another. As part of Day Two of the Week of Positive Blogging, I'd like to pay tribute to several teachers in my life who gave encouragement, inspiration and caring.

These teachers didn't go on to become "famous" as society may define it, but in my eyes they are famous for their impact on my life. I cherish those memories and really honestly can say that they had an inspirational influence in my life.

Mrs. Sondergard: 3rd grade

I was going through some real self-esteem issues in 3rd grade as I was developing earlier than other girls in my class, and was quite self-conscious about it. During that year, my cousin had an allergic reaction to a TB test and one of my best friends told me she had to stay away from me because I might infect her! It's funny now, but at the time, it was hurtful and difficult for me.

Writing became an avenue for me to deal with these feelings. My teacher, Mrs. Sondergard, encouraged me in my writing. She was such a caring, kind and compassionate person. I was very good at Spelling so when Mrs. Sondergard created a Spelling Bee contest, I was competitive and encouraged because I knew I could win! I always felt that she was proud of me; and that was extremely important to me because I didn't want to let her down.

I loved writing and when she gave us an assignment to write poetry, I wrote my first poem called "Friends." Mrs. Sondergard thought it was the best poem of her classes and actually went so far as to have it published in the local newspaper. So I owe my first published work at the age of 9 to Mrs. Sondergard, a teacher who never wavered in her faith in me. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for lifting my self-esteem and motivating and inspiring me to keep writing.

Mrs. Luckel: 6th grade

By the time I was in 6th grade, the country was going through some major turmoil, with the Vietnam War and racial tensions. Growing up in a small, white town, I am so grateful to Mrs. Luckel for opening up discussions in her classroom for divergent points of view. We openly discussed what was going on in the country and world with Mrs. Luckel. I don't think many teachers did this, as it was a scary assignment for most teachers to deal with 12 year olds fighting with each other. Mrs. Luckel showed courage, compassion and a passion for teaching. Her courage forced me to consider and process in my young mind what I was seeing on the television everyday and hearing in the community. Her courage inspired me to question what I heard.

At the beginning of 6th grade, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was still alive and very active in the news. I remember learning about him that year and admiring his courage, character and wisdom. I welcomed Mrs. Luckel's perspective, as it wasn't always the same opinion that I was hearing outside of school in my town. She opened my heart and mind to Dr. King's teachings and preachings. When Dr. King was assassinated, I was so upset and can remember thinking "How could anyone have killed such a great man?"

I consider Mrs. Luckel to be one of the key people in my life who inspired me to be tolerant, respectful and open-minded to cultures different than my own. I eventually made a career in international education, so her inspiration definitely had an impact!

Mr. Thomas: Elementary School Music Teacher & Church Choir Director

I recently had an opportunity to reconnect with Mr. Thomas (who I now feel comfortable calling by his first name, Dale.) He sang at my aunt's funeral last year and this year at an uncle's funeral. Dale Thomas is no longer teaching in school, although I believe he should be! He is, however, inspiring others with his music and is still directing the choir at my former church in my hometown.

What makes Dale so special? He is a wonderful Christian man who cares for people. This caring shines through when you see him perform and certainly came through when he was my teacher. I always thought I'd be a musician and wanted to sing for a living and learn to play as many instruments as I could. Dale was an inspiration to me in elementary school. He encouraged me, made music fun and I saw the possibilities of a life of music ahead of me. When I begged my parents for a guitar and they knew they couldn't afford the lessons, they went to Dale to ask his opinion about whether or not I could teach myself to play it.

Dale had total confidence in me, so my parents bought that guitar and I went on to play it fairly well, even giving lessons as extra income while in high school. The guitar represented the beginning of my musical writing as I wrote my first song at age 12. Over the years, I've written many songs, and I always remember Dale Thomas, who not only inspired me with confidence, but was also an excellent role model as the kind, caring person he is.

Today, Dale is still living his passion of music, while living in the same small town where I grew up. I found this YouTube piece with him playing the steel guitar (which is one of his favorite instruments). Although I am not particularly a fan of country/swing type music, I bought all of Dale's CDs last month when I saw him at my uncle's funeral. It was a small price to pay to someone who gave me so much.

I am forever grateful for the inspiration of these three teachers and consider teaching to be one of the most important jobs in the world, along with parenting. The impact of an inspiring teacher can have endless possibilities in the life of a child. I am forever grateful for these three who impacted me.

Dale's Website: http://dalethomasband.com/index.htm