Say 'thank you' to your teachers
The tale of Rancho Cucamonga Middle School math and science teacher Jill Schwartz will appear in Saturday's paper, announcing the county teacher of the year distinction she will receive next month. My colleague Will Lester snapped this photo of her in her classroom Wednesday.
Schwartz has a knack for making math fun and easy. On a visit to the school, it was clear to see a certain infatuation with math that one of Schwartz's former students, Ezana Simon, 12, has. He told me, "It's fun to do a big problem and then figure out you're right."
I have a feeling that Schwartz will be one of those teachers who'll get return visits from former students long after they move on to high school and college. She told me, "I'll get e-mails from former students who say, 'I don't understand this, my teacher's mean.' "
E-mail wasn't around when I was in school which is a shame. Schwartz reminds me of my favorite teacher of all time Mr. Dunlap from Van Nuys High. He got so pumped about trig, he would stand on the chair, sometimes the table, and shout, "Folks, it's time to get excited."
He was kind of a dork, a quality I like. Because my name sounds like a weather condition, he would blow air out of his mouth when I walked into his class. "That's you right? Windy?"
I think Mr. Dunlap was good at Spanish but he pretended like he wasn't for comic relief. When it was time for us to wrap up our tests, he would say, "Lapiz en su mesa!"
After college I became an English teacher and realized just how much teachers really appreciate appreciation. I hear that Mr. Dunlap has long left Van Nuys High by now. I wonder if he has an e-mail address.
I would like to thank my 8th grade teacher, Ms. Shirley Hurley.
Thank you for everything. You got me out of gangs and drugs when I was 13 yoa.
I will never forget you. And that was in 1965.
I had a pretty interesting geometry teacher in high school, by the name of John M. Watson in the early 80's at Ontario High School...
Yes, THAT John M. Watson who is currently scheduled for trial in Las Vegas.
I liked him as a teacher, even tho' I eeked by in his class with a C.
I had him again later as a driver's ed teacher, which I didn't do as horrible in. :-)
I go to this school. She is a wonderful teacher. Good Job Mrs. Schwartz
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