In honor of our Sept. 1 back-to-school issue, we asked the Signal Tribune editorial staff to dig into their photo albums for an old school picture and answer a pivotal question: Who was your favorite teacher growing up and why? Memories ensued:
Samantha Diaz, Managing Editor
I am extremely delighted to recognize my favorite and most influential teacher, my 11th grade English teacher, Mr. Peter Ottman. He encouraged me to transform my love of writing into a journalism career; something I’d never considered before then.
He also convinced the high school to restart the school newspaper (which had been out of operation for over 10 years) by telling them he had students who were interested (it was me, I was students). And although I struggled reading “Walden” as a 16-year-old, I can appreciate the masterpiece now. I can truly say he changed my life.
Richard H. Grant, Photo Editor
Mr. Eberhardt taught English at my high school in Victorville, California. It was a shit school in a shit town, but he was undoubtedly the highlight of that shithole. I took his class for ninth grade honors English and later his AP English class.
What appealed to me was partially him being the “cool teacher” who didn’t mind cussing a little bit, but more so it was the books his interpretation of them that he introduced me to that really made me fall in love with not just reading but with learning in general.
To me, he was the epitome of the Emerson/Hemingway type as he lived up in the mountains, loved his cigars and would give good advice to a weird nerdy kid with a foot-tall afro who was probably trying too hard to come off as an intellectual for their own good.
For that, I can never thank him enough.
Kristen Farrah Naeem, Staff Writer
Mr. Pigott was my English teacher during my senior year of high school. I remember him as a kindly British man who called his students “noodle brains” and kept granola bars in his desk drawer in case any of us skipped breakfast.
He repeatedly told me I was a good writer, and that helped give me the confidence to pursue writing professionally.
I hope you’re enjoying retirement wherever you are!
Ryan Hardison, Design Editor
As my school motto said – “The Longfellow Lions are the very, very best”- my first grade teacher Ms. Marynell Huang (now Mrs. Evans) was the best of them all.
Long before I ever dreamed of becoming a writer, she encouraged me to write short stories and let my imagination wander. Since then, she has been a lifelong role model for me, and someone whose kindness and empathy matches her love for teaching.
With every new personal or career milestone since I was 7 years old, she’s been there to cheer me on.