Remembering a teacher
Last week, a former colleague of mine, David, passed away. He was one of the most generous teachers I have ever met — he nudged, cajoled, comforted, and inspired writers of all abilities for more than 30 years. He never gave up on anyone, ever. His style was more free-flowing than that of most of our colleagues, avoiding what he saw as the rigid impediments gumming up the works. Students wrote, rewrote, and rewrote again for him because he told them that they had more to say. Regardless of their ability or circumstance, they responded to his deep admiration for their thinking and encouragement to keep writing. David was also an eclectic collector of baseball hats (most often Red Sox), pens (fancy ones), shoes (large ones), and books — lots and lots of books.
JWB
Back
In Poly's vision statement, we speak of a community of students, inspired by transformative teaching, who will contribute profoundly to the world as intellectual leaders. Embedded in these words are three important mainstays of Poly’s past, present, and future, and it is no coincidence that teachers hold the sentence together. They do, always. When I speak with members of our community, I hear powerful stories of teachers inspiring and challenging our students to reach beyond “good enough.” More importantly, a connection develops between student and teacher that feeds a sense of possibility and excellence in both.
When David spoke at his retirement celebration, he opened with the question, "What have I learned?" He continued with his humble view of teaching. David often reminded us that we were teaching students — not just subjects — and that kids needed space to laugh and space to fail, as did the teachers. His closing echoed teachers everywhere: “Thank you for remembering me. I will always remember you.”
Teachers who transform the way we think and see the world are a precious gift. Their impact roots itself in our confidence and our abilities to meet the challenges that we seek and those that we can’t avoid. To all of my teachers, thank you. You will never be forgotten.
JWB
Resources
Policies
©2024 Polytechnic School. All Rights Reserved