My teachers have, and still do, play a huge role in my life. For as long as I can remember, my favorite subject in school was always English. I loved to read, write, and most of all share stories with others. In addition to this, I always wanted to be a teacher; this is ironic because I am now majoring in video production.
In my senior year of high school, I took three English classes, and if my schedule allowed me to, I would’ve taken more. Each course, drastically different from one another, had their own reasons as to why I was interested in them. Not only did the content make me excited for class, but so did my teachers. These three teachers, all at different points in their lives, really impacted my love for the subject in different ways.
Mr. Bacher
To say the least, Mr. Bacher is an interesting man. He would tell us about the many hikes and camping trips he has been on; he even completed the Catskills Mountain Club All Trails Hiking Challenge. He told us stories about his experiences as a volunteer firefighter in his town and talked about how much he loves his chainsaw. One of my favorite things from his class was when he had us watch The Dead Poets Society which, in my opinion, is one of the best movies.
In addition to all these fun facts, Mr. Bacher is an amazing editor. He loves it so much that he would go as far as correcting other faculty’s spelling and grammar when responding to their emails. I quickly became intimidated when completing assignments for his class and even when sending him emails. It is now a small habit of mine to think “What would Mr. Bacher say?” When completing any writing assignment. I always think back to his mini grammar lessons; I think about the lesson on semi colons the most. Since his class focused on academic writing, we were prohibited from using the word “you” in our work. The only time we could use it was when we were directly referring to the reader. To this day I can’t bring myself to write “you” in any writing assignment and check everything I submit to make sure that the word is not there.
Mr. Bacher’s work challenged me and forced me to work harder. It wasn’t that I could not do the work, but that I was slightly intimidated by him. I wanted him to think of me as a great writer, so I did what I could in my writing to resemble that. I made sure to look at notes from past lessons he gave us and, as previously mentioned, think of what he would say if he were editing my paper. If it wasn’t for him and his class, I don’t think I would be as strong of a writer that I am today.
Mr. Anastasi
Mr. Anastasi is definitely one of the most loved teachers by the students at my high school. Since he is one of the younger teachers, it makes it easy for students to not only relate to him but also feel understood on a level they may not feel with their other teachers. It is clear that he wants what is best for his students and wishes to see them succeed in the future.
For me, Mr. Anastasi’s classwork never felt like a chore, except for the time we focused on the story of the Green Knight. Although I did not enjoy the story or movie, I still looked forward to class. He made the class enjoyable, even for those who typically didn’t enjoy the subject. I noticed that even the students who regularly showed up late to class, or left for long periods of time, were still eager to learn and participate.
I had always considered becoming a teacher as a career option but never really knew what I wanted to teach. I thought about how Mr. Anastasi’s approach to teaching made the class interesting to a vast majority of his students and how he was not just a teacher to his students, but also a friend. He listened to them when they needed help and gave them advice and guidance when it was needed. Though I am still unsure on whether or not I want to become a teacher, that is the kind of teacher that I would want to be.
Mrs. Kaste
I had Mrs. Kaste for English my junior year so, naturally I decided to take her other English class my senior year as well. Her class, which focused on archetypes and comedy (primarily in movies and TV), brought fun and light to the subject. I was very happy to end my school day watching and analyzing the writing of sitcoms in one of my favorite teacher’s classes.
Her class made me realize that students can have fun and learn topics in English by doing something many people enjoy: watching movies and sitcoms. An English class can revolve around more than just books and writing, which opened my eyes to the various different topics that can be learned in an English class. In the satire unit, I learned how to write and determine if something is a piece of satirical comedy, something I never thought I would learn in school let alone a traditional English class.
The approach she took to the class made me appreciate the subject even more. There are many different ways that the subject can be taught, making many people enjoy it. I began to see the subject of English as a whole in a different light thinking that if I were to end up having a career in education, this would be the subject I teach.
From the Bottom of my heart, Thank You
The teachers we have throughout our lives can impact us in so many ways; Mr. Bacher impacted my writing, Mr. Anastasi my consideration of becoming an educator, and Mrs. Kaste my overall love and greater appreciation for English. I am especially grateful for those who have taught me lessons that will help me in my college years and beyond. Thank you, to my English teachers, who shaped my mind and changed me for the better.