Thankful for teachers today and everyday

Mr. Vandersee, my undergraduate thesis advisor, opened up for me the notion of a thoughtful, thinking life. He provided an attention and a concern with my mind and my character – a moral education, via dialogue and via the humanities. I am forever grateful.

My favorite math teacher was Mr. Schmidt at Hoover Elementary School in Schaumburg, IL. He was my 5th—and 6th-grade teacher. Mr. Schmidt found a way to bring the best out of every child in our class. Mr. Schmidt also shared my love for Mathematics. He was committed to challenging me to deepen my understanding of concepts.

Dr. David Treagust was my mentor for my doctoral degree research. After writing 60 pages of my dissertation, a freak electrical storm wiped out my computer motherboard. At that point, I wanted to give up on completing my dissertation. Dr. Treagust, even while his wife suffered from cancer, spurred me on to continue. He sent me old drafts of my work and showed me where I could add text and start again. Without him, I probably would not have completed my dissertation.

Bob Carter taught me chemistry my junior year at Redemptorist High School.  He challenged me to think differently and be a problem solver.  It was the hardest class that I had ever taken.  At the end of the year, when we were signing up for senior year classes, I didn’t plan to take physics.  He made me sign up because he saw the way science sparked my interest.  I credit becoming an engineer to him noticing a girl in the 1970s who loved science and pushing her to learn more.

My mom was a first-grade teacher. And so, no doubt she impacted me the most. But in terms of teachers who actually taught me in the classroom, I remember my 9th and 10th grade English teacher, Miss Carol Green. She was incredibly smart. She was very, very committed to exposing us to the world outside of our town, I grew up in San Antonio, Texas. But as a result of all that she encouraged us to read and to study, we saw new worlds in Texas, and I will always appreciate how she challenged us to think differently as a result of what we had studied. The classroom discussions were always enriching, and you walked away interested in learning more and, frankly, doing more.

Ms. Estes was understanding and kind and would go as slow or fast as you needed.  Her classroom teemed with knowledge.