Top 10 Favorite Teachers
Do you remember your first teacher? Your favorite teacher? It is estimated that one teacher can impact more than 3,000 students over the course of his or her career. While most statistics focus on how a teacher impacts things like test scores, a really good teacher is so much more.
A study of more than 570,000 North Carolina students by Northwestern University found that teachers were critical in helping students develop crucial non-cognitive skills like motivation, the ability to adapt to new situations, and self-regulation, all of which lead to higher attendance and graduation rates. These non-cognitive skills were an even better predictor of future student success than higher test scores.
Statistics from Cambridge University, Rand, Stanford University, and the National Bureau of Economic Research show similar findings: Teachers have a lifelong impact on their students that goes well beyond the gradebook. Even our own informal survey of LTY employees shows the most memorable teachers are the ones who impacted both our heads and our hearts.
As we say “Goodbye!” to the school year and “Hello!” to summer, we celebrate the teachers and staff who dedicate their lives to making the world a better place for all of us. Here are a few of our own faves:
Mrs. Melody Bruner, 10th Grade Geometry, A&M Consolidated HS, College Station ISD
Mrs. Bruner taught me how to make bulletproof arguments by communicating facts. She always told me the truth, even when it was hard, and she treated me like I was her own son.
—Li-wei Yu, P.E., Managing Principal
Mrs. Miad, Physical Education, Um Ayman HS, Dota, Qatar
Mrs. Miad was my sports teacher from 10th grade through 12th grade. I used to hate sports and never wanted to play, but she encouraged me to keep trying and eventually convinced me to join the school handball team. She taught me to never give up and to never say I can’t do something without trying it many times first. I still talk to her to this day.
—Nadeen Al-Rahmani, Electrical Designer
Mr. Robert McCall, Physics, Bishop Moore Catholic HS, Orlando, FL
Mr. Moore was my high school physics teacher in 11th and 12th grade. He sparked and cultivated my interest in engineering, which led to me pursuing it in college.
—David Banks, EIT, Mechanical Designer
Coach Tim Spurlock, Physical Education, Woodcreek JH, Katy ISD
Coach Spurlock taught me responsibility and to always treat people with respect. He never raised his voice, and he could get his point across without being harsh or negative. Coach Spurlock always made time to check up on you and see how things are going, but he was never perceived as soft, and I want to be the same way.
—Brayden Lamb, EIT, Mechanical Designer
Mrs. Linda Dugger, Second Grade, Nell Burks ES, McKinney ISD
Mrs. Dugger was sweet and kind. Some kids in my class tried to bully me, and she stood up for me immediately. I was an avid reader. After I finished all the books in her classroom, she would spend her lunch period taking me to other teachers’ rooms so I could pick out more books to read. To this day, I still love to read and am thankful she fostered that love in me.
—Mary Kay Yu, SHRM-SCP, Director of Communications and HR
Ms. Martha Mestanza, Mathematics, German Humboldt School, Guayaquil, Ecuador
Ms. Mestanza was my math teacher from 10th to 12th grade. She taught me to be respectful, to always tell the truth no matter the consequences, and that hard work pays off. She consistently made herself available between or after classes to listen and support whenever you had a problem. Although she has now passed away, everything I learned from her has helped shape me into the person I am today.
—Miguel Hanze, P.E., Mechanical Engineer
Coach Rodney Wellman, Track, College Station HS, College Station ISD
Coach Wellman taught me how to set goals and work hard to achieve them. I also learned how to cultivate a great team environment, where everyone is there for one another, with the same goal in mind and having fun while doing hard things.
—Zephyr Seagraves, EIT, Plumbing Designer
Professor Sandra Gomez, Programming 1 and 2, Universidad Galileo Guatemala
Professor Gomez is memorable to me because not only was she a great teacher, but she also treated us as family. She treated us like we mattered. Even now, 14 years later, the majority of my class still have connection with her through social media.
—Edgar Marroquin, Field Services
Dr. Susan LeJeune, AP English, 12th Grade, Crowley HS, Acadia Parish Public Schools
Dr. LeJeune inspired my sister and me to read and write at a higher level. She started every class by making us write for 15 minutes. She always read The Lord of the Rings trilogy every summer. She helped my sister and me improve our language skills tremendously before we went on to college. We became lifelong friends.
—Chi Truong, P.E., Founding Principal
Let us know your favorite teacher, coach, or professor by dropping a shout out in the comments.
If you enjoyed this Top 10 list from LTY, look for more in a monthly series as we look forward to our 10th Anniversary in October 2024. Next up: Top 10 “Must-haves” in HVAC Design.
Sources
- Belfield, Clive, et al., “The Economic Value of Social and Emotional Learning.” Journal of Benefit-Cost Analysis, Cambridge Core, Cambridge University Press, 29 Dec. 2015.
- Kautz, Tim, et al., “Fostering and Measuring Skills: Improving Cognitive and Non-Cognitive Skills to Promote Lifetime Success.” NBER, 15 Dec. 2014, www.nber.org/papers/w20749.
- Opper, Isaac M., “Teachers Matter: Understanding Teachers’ Impact on Student Achievement.” Accessed 2 June 2024.
- Terada, Youki, “Understanding a Teacher’s Long-Term Impact.” Edutopia, George Lucas Educational Foundation, 4 Feb. 2019.
Dr. William Veasman, Biology, 10th – 12 Grade, Dixon ISD, Dixon MO
Dr. Veasman was a former professor at Univ. of Missouri. He taught his class as a college professor would to prepare his students for their college career. Growing up in rural Missouri whose parents did not go to college and did not really know the financial aspects of tuition, he helped me find financial aid, apply for scholarships, and grants that paid for my college. Without his friendship and caring for my success, I would probably have never gone to college. I am forever grateful.
Thank you for sharing. I do not remember applying for a college scholarship, but I am certain my high school counselor applied for me. Without the scholarship I received from Texas A&M, I am not sure how I would have paid for college. How many kids have stories like us?