My Most Memorable Teacher

At age forty, my daughter is going back to school to be a teacher.  In a conversation on a recent Sunday afternoon she asked me "who was your favorite teacher and why?"  Although I graduated highschool in 1962, I immediately thought of my 10th grade biology teacher, Mr. Parnell.  He knew a lot about biology, but he also knew a lot about kids, especially teenagers.

Because he was fully cognizant of the many academic and nonacademic priorities facing his adolescent students, Mr. Parnell provided a monthly syllabus outlining class activities, homework assignments and required reading.  His method allowed us the flexibility to work ahead on some assignments and postpone others to successfully balance school projects, social activities and family responsibilities.

As he walked into our classroom every morning, Mr. Parnell was aware of the fact that almost all of the kids were involved in conversation and that the majority of us couldn't or wouldn't stop talking in the middle of a sentence.  Instead of demanding immediate silence when the bell rang, the teacher walked to the front of the room and stood quietly for about a minute to allow us the opportunity to finish what we were saying.  Then he told a joke before getting down to the business of teaching biology.  Because he treated the students with respect, we responded respectfully and behaved responsibly

A lifetime has passed since my sophomore year in high school, but I've never forgotten this gifted teacher and the enduring lessons that I learned in his classroom.