I Appreciate You!

Teacher Appreciation Week is almost here, and being the youngest of four kids, I had a hard time getting any teacher who didn't refer to me as "so and so's little sister." Any time I got a teacher who'd had one of my siblings, I felt like they'd already decided what kind of student I was going to be. Sometimes this gave me an advantage and other times, it put me under more scrutiny. Either way, I had some really great teachers who I'll never forget.



Mr. Ferguson - 5th grade social studies.
He was the teacher every girl had a crush on. He was tall, slender, and tan with brown hair  He had  dark brown eyes. Every girl wanted to be in his class, and I did enjoy social studies a little more that year!

Ms. Dorsett - 6th grade English.
I don't remember the exact assignment but it was to write a paper. Mine detailed a recent visit to a haunted house with my parents and a group of their friends. It was called Necropolis, and at that time, a guide led you through different rooms one by one and various Halloween shenanigans took place in each. The last room had 6 doors. Only one let you out and the others looped back in. Ultimately, you went through the doors until you chose the right one. I DO NOT LIKE HAUNTED HOUSES and having been in there for what seemed like forever, I just needed to get the hell out! With me trembling and in tears, my mom begged an employee to tell us which door would let us out. After giving us a hard time for a few minutes, he finally obliged. We left Necropolis and went to a pizza place to eat. Our party was one person too large for the table. Instead of doing what normal people do and asking for another chair, someone grabbed a high chair and I sat in that. I was 11 years old. In a high chair. It was okay until I tried to get out. This is the only time in my life I remember my legs being too long for anything. I couldn't maneuver myself into the seat in a way where my knees would bend above the lap bar to allow me to get out. Someone in our group had tools in his car and he removed the bar. Why didn't we just ask for a chair?? 🙄 Well, I wrote of this evening and when I got the paper back, there was only one word in red ink across the top - AMATEUR. I still have no idea how to interpret that.

Mrs. Carmichael - middle school gym. 
She was all business during class time, but afterwards, she always had carrots. Tiny, ice cold carrots. They were delicious, and I don't know that I've had a carrot since then that was as good as the ones she gave us.

Mr. Schneider - middle school English. 
He was old and knew my mother. I remember one day he called on me but said "Mary Ellen." This is not my name. Mary is my mom's first name and Ellen is my middle name. I have no idea why he called me that and I'm even more unsure of why I responded. 

These teachers gave me a few fond memories. But there are three teachers who really had an impact on me, and I'm fortunate enough to still be in contact with them today.

Mrs. Mary McCormack - 5th grade. 
I remember her being a patient teacher. She didn't put up with poor attitudes and behavior, but she was always fair. She was kind and was the first teacher who really made me feel special. She asked me and another classmate to stay after a few times a week just to help her with the classroom. We weren't being punished for anything and we hadn't done anything to win the privilege. She just chose us. I never asked why. But being given that opportunity gave me a sense of purpose. She was the first person who made me feel like I really mattered. Mary is still a teacher at the same elementary school.

Mr. Paul Mendenhall - high school radio/TV. 
He was a phenomenal teacher, and my junior year of high school, I finally found something I was good at. Within the first week of his class, he'd memorized all of our names, faces and voices. He didn't hesitate to tell me that I had a great radio voice and he was kind enough to never tell me I had the perfect face for it too! 😄 He encouraged us on every assignment and always provided constructive criticism. He gave us advice on how to do better and showed us ways to improve. He never told any of us we couldn't do something. I know he rolled his eyes at the stupid show promos we recorded, but he helped us be the best of the stupid. I hosted the Friday morning show for my high school station during my senior year as Jane E. When I got to college, my radio career aspirations halted due to lack of support from professors. I wish I could have taken Mr. Mendenhall with me. Paul no longer teaches at the high school, but you can catch him every weekday morning on 92.3 WTTS in Indianapolis.

Dr. Laura O'Hara - intercultural communications prof at BSU.
I cannot say enough about this lady. The first time I visited Ball State, I sat in an auditorium full of college hopefuls. She introduced herself and told us about the communications department. She was upbeat, funny and engaging. I remember at one point she was walking through the aisles and said "I feel like Jenny Jones." I knew immediately I wanted to take her class. And when I did, I sat in the front - stone faced and quiet. I hardly ever participated and she told me on more than one occasion that she wasn't sure I was even paying attention. I promise I was! Beyond the classroom, she was much more than a teacher. She was a mentor to me in both academics and personal matters. She was never condescending or judgmental but she was always honest. She listened. She advised. She cared. I enjoyed college a lot of the time but the years I was there were the hardest of my life. I suffered from extreme depression and a very VERY low self-esteem. I cannot count how many nights I would call Laura after hours and talk to her on the phone. Some nights I'd end up in her office, spilling emotions and shedding tears. She took me back to my dorm one night and Everybody Hurts by R.E.M. was on the radio. It was probably the most fitting and the most ironic way the evening could have ended. She has seen me at my absolute worst and has never abandoned me. Our professor/student relationship ended, but she's remained a mentor and has become one of my dearest friends. She holds a very special place in my heart. She's still a professor at BSU.

If you are a teacher, a coach, or a mentor, you've got one of the toughest jobs in the world. Please believe me when I say that you are making a difference to someone, even if it goes unsaid forever. THANK YOU!

A recent article by Indianapolis Star Journalist Gregg Doyel inspired me to write this post. His story can be found here:
https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/columnists/gregg-doyel/2019/05/02/doyel-dont-do-what-did-take-time-thank-teacher-week-teacher-appreciation-week/3549380002/