It's Teacher Appreciation Week in America. That means it's time to thank teachers who have had an influence on your life. As I sit here thinking about the teachers I've been blessed with over the years, I realize there are many who influenced my life. However, I would like to specifically thank those who showed me how to be more than just a teacher. These amazing educators showed me how to love the children placed in my care, how to show them that they matter and how to be the support they may need.* Mrs. Dorothy Smith was my first grade teacher. No matter how bad of a day she may have been having, she had a smile on her face. She always had a kind smile and a friendly welcome for everyone who came into her classroom. I will always remember her reading, "Stand Back," Said the Elephant. "I'm Going to Sneeze" to our class. Since her retirement party (which I had the pleasure of being the waitress for), she presented me with her own copy of that book...the one she held and read many times during that year. She even signed it to me. I will be forever grateful to Mrs. Smith for showing me how to make each child feel special.
*Mrs. Ruth Hunsberger was my 3rd and 4th grade teacher. I remember being in a portable classroom. We had individual desks that she would have us move into different configurations for holidays. They were in the shape of a pumpkin for October and November, a Christmas tree for December, a heart for February, a shamrock for March, an oval Easter egg for April...I remember her teaching us to write "My Heart Pants for You" in pictures for our Valentine's cards. I remember her reading Old Yeller. I never liked that book. I still don't. But I remember listening to her read it. Her husband was on the pastoral staff at my childhood church. I remember being so proud to tell kids that we went to church together and then telling people at church she was my pastor. I'll always be grateful to Mrs. Hunsberger for teaching me how to make things fun for children.
*Mrs. Margie Juroff was my 6th grade teacher. I can almost smell her lotion (or perfume or whatever she wore that smelled amazing!) I remember her long fingernails as she would brush them across my shoulder to encourage me to keep working on my math facts. I remember her patience as she came to my house during the summer to help me learn to do better in math. I remember the impatiens she had on the windowsill in the classroom. I remember her reading Caddie Woodlawn to us. She eventually became my kids' teacher also. I couldn't have asked for anything better. But something better came...she became my coworker. I am proud to say I was standing on the sidewalk as I watched her climb into a limousine on the last day of school the year she retired. I remember tears streaming down my face as I watched her be driven away from the school. I'll always be grateful to Mrs. Juroff for teaching me to encourage children to be persistent and never give up just because something is hard.
*Mr. William Smith was my middle school science teacher. I will honestly tell you that I don't remember a lot from his class. But I do remember him turning off the lights, lighting candles all over the room (back when that was ok) and reading The Telltale Heart by Edgar Allen Poe on Halloween. I remember him having a huge stuff tiger on top of the cabinet in his classroom. I remember telling him how much I liked that tiger. I remember being in Mr. Yenna's English class when he was pulled out of the classroom. When he came back in, the words that came out of his mouth devastated me. "Mr. Stewart collapsed and died this morning while getting ready to come to school." I cried buckets of tears that day. On the last day of school, the sub that had been hired to finish out the school year in his place was packing up the things in his classroom. When she pulled the tiger off the cabinet, she found a not attached to the bottom of it that said, "Give to Brenda Hatfield [my maiden name] on the last day of school." I am still the proud owner of that Tiger. I will always be grateful to Mr. Stewart for teaching me a love of Edgar Allen Poe and for teaching me how to pay attention to things that make children happy.
*Mrs. Marcia McBride was my middle school choir teacher. She taught me that there is more to music than just listening to the radio. She taught me a genuine love for singing. She taught me that so many different styles of music can be loved and appreciated by the same person. She was also my kids' choir director. I was proudly there for her final concert. I will always be grateful to Mrs. McBride for teaching me that you can encourage children to explore the world around them and appreciate the beauty contained within.
*Mr LaMar Holaway was my high school choir teacher. He continued teaching the love of music that Mrs. McBride started. I remember traveling to Indianapolis for State Choir Competition the year before I was even in high school. I got to turn the music pages for the accompanist. I became known as the "State Champion Page-Turner" for several years after that. I remember traveling to Florida with the band and choir my senior year and how he and my parents got their first ever senior citizen discount on that trip. He was my kids' choir director as well. I will never forget him walking in the door for my son's graduation open house. I will always be grateful to Mr. Holaway for sharing his love of music and giving me the desire to go to Fort Wayne Bible College to major in Music Education.
*I've had many incredible college professors, staff and faculty through the years as well. Dr. Jay Platte, Mr. Dana Collins, Dr. Roger Ringenberg, Dr. Doug Barcalow, Dr. John Schutt, Dr. Alice Joy Weddle, Carolyn Arthur, Joyce Laurent, Dr. Susan Karrer, Dr. Rebecca Wilson, and many others.
Thank you to each and every one of these amazing people! Thank you for teaching me to love children, let them know they matter and showing them I'm always there to be a listening ear. May I be half as great as you taught me to be. I truly love you all.
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