The Teacher That Opened My Eyes

Thanks to Participant Media for sponsoring today's discussion.

This week my Instagram stream has been filled with first day of school pictures; my kids have already been back for almost a month. Thankfully the school year is going really well and they both have great teachers who will help them have successful years.

When I was little I thought I wanted to be a teacher; somewhere along the way that dream shifted but I have never forgotten the importance of amazing inspiring teachers.

I always did pretty good in school except for spelling.  I seemed to be the anomaly to the idea that if you read a lot you can spell.  My mom would quiz me and the letters would just come out jumbled or all wrong.  In 6th grade, my teacher asked if I would like to figure out my learning style.

She took me aside and asked me lots of questions, carefully watching my eyes as I answered.  The questions all seemed simple enough and many not even related.  She thanked me and told me she would soon get back to me with my results.

A short while later she took me aside and told me that I was a visual learner, so the best way for me to learn was by seeing things.  Rather than have my mom orally quiz me for spelling, I needed to look at the list, study it and then write down the words so I could see them again.  The best part, she was right, it worked!

She told me that the direction my eyes shifted when I was figuring the answers indicated what type of learner I was.  It fascinated me that she could learn that just based on my eyes and it began my fascination with how the human mind works, which led me to major in Psychology.

I took that knowledge that I was a visual learner and used it for my benefit throughout school, even into my college years.  I couldn't just simply go to a lecture and listen and learn, I needed to take notes and read over those notes and see the words.  I would write lists of questions and answers to study for tests.  My 6th grade teacher impacted my life in a way I don't think I ever fully realized until now.

Have you had a teacher who inspired you?  One who helped you learn something about yourself you may have never known?

I am excited for an upcoming two hour special television event presented by Participant Media, “TEACH”.  TEACH's air date is September 6th at at 8:00 pm ET/PT on the CBS Television Network.

"TEACH" follows four dedicated teachers from different schools across the country over the course of one school year. 

The teachers are from different backgrounds and serving in very different places in the country.  There is Matt Johnson a 4th grade teacher in Denver Colorado in a turnaround and innovation school.  He grew up in the projects (an extremely rough and dangerous area of Chicago) and uses his experiences to relate to his students.  There is also a 7th grade teacher in Idaho, a 9th grade math teacher at what was once declared one of the the most troubled schools in the country, and a 10th grade AP History teacher in the same school featured in the movie Stand and Deliver. 

TEACH is award-winner director Davis Guggenheim's third documentary film about education in America.   In TEACH he seeks to find out what it takes to be a great teacher today. He hopes to give viewers a window into the challenges, demands and rewards of teaching, with the purpose of elevating and promoting the profession, as well as engaging new teachers and supporting current teachers. For the best teachers, it’s not just a job but a mission. 

“TEACH” will also air on the new network, Pivot on September 18th at 8:00 pm ET/PT

I encourage you to track out the trailer of TEACH and find out more information on their webpage at the link here.

I would love to hear about a teacher who really made a difference in your life.

This post is sponsored by Participant Media but my love of teachers is 100% my own.