So, this weeks "person of impact" on my life is actually a whole group of people, even though I am going to highlight just one or two. So if you are in this group, I salute you!
Math has never been my strong point. I'm not saying I'm terrible at it, more like I dislike it with a passion. It is a very necessary evil. It is something that most everyone struggles with at one time or another. And I have decided that the major contributing factor in whether a person feels like they are good at math or not is the person who taught them the subject. This encompasses many years of math teachers, and unfortunately, it only takes one bad teacher or experience to turn us into quivering, mind-blanking, stomach churning students (I speak from experience). Most young people lack the maturity to look beyond the present situation and comfort themselves with the knowledge that "this too shall pass." I had a bad experience with math beginning around the fourth or fifth grade. I don't really remember because I try to block that time period from my memory. Anyway, maybe it was the timed multiplication tables, maybe it was the fear of public speaking when we had to go down our rows standing up and reciting those tables (or maybe this is WHY I have a fear of public speaking). Whatever the reason, even through college I had to take medications to call my anxiety over all things math (including General Chemistry, which involves quite a bit of math).
I intentionally chose a major at Auburn that required the minimum amount of math. So when I made the decision to go back and finish course requirements to apply for Pharmacy school, I of course put off taking Calculus until the last possible moment. Unlike when I was eighteen and a back row student, as a mature adult I was determined to face my fears. I began by brushing up on my Pre-Cal at Jeff State. I had a wonderfully gentle and quirky professor (of whom, I am ashamed to say, I don't remember his name). I did rather well, but I chalked it up to having had the class before, albeit ten years ago. Then I enrolled in Calculus at Montevallo. In walks this guy who, in my opinion, is not much older than me. He begins this grand lecture about how strict he was about his class rules, and my stomach begins to churn again. But as he began to teach, it was so obvious how much he loved the subject. It was also apparent that he really wanted us to understand the material, not just memorize and regurgitate. He spent a lot of time making sure every student in the class 'got' what was going on by explaining things various ways. And his attitude was always cheerful. I'm not saying happy, that's different. His cheerfulness always stemmed from patience and love of the subject, and the first time since lower grade school that I made an A on a math test, I cried. This man makes me wish I were better at math. The true test of a great teacher.
Since then, I have had other teachers with this same zeal for teaching, such as my Organic Chemistry professor. These classes are not easy, and these teachers don't apologize for it. But they DO encourage and offer any assistance possible to help their students succeed. No, I am not a teacher, and yes, I can imagine how hard it is to keep students from falling through the cracks when you have 30 other students to worry about (per class!). But teaching SHOULD be hard. It shouldn't be a default career. Teachers shape the minds of every person in this country. That should scare the apathy out of anyone related to teaching. Trust me, I understand how hard it is to listen to the complaining parents and whiny students. Pastors and their families have to listen to that every day too. And isn't that how we treat God as well? But He not only listens, but cares, and forgives, and supports. And so should we. So to all you teachers out there who go the extra mile, keep up the good work! There ARE those of us who notice! And to Dr. Tyler and Dr. Tidwell, you have my undying gratitude.
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