I've been blessed to have had so many awesome teachers in my life, including parents, gradeschool teachers, volunteer org supervisors, friends, relatives, pastors, doctors, bosses, counselors, and even my own children and grandchildren. My favorites are my 4th grade teacher, Mrs. Hemmig who spent a lot of energy on getting me into gym class and taught me some wonderful quotes, my dad, who taught me how to survive living in a tough city, my mom, who taught me patience is a virtue, my pastor, who teaches me new things every day, my CASA supervisor who spends a large chunk of her time caring for children in some of the most horrible situations imaginable and is teaching me how to do the same, and the Red Cross workers who taught me CPR, among many other things. Teachers are at the top of my list of admiration!

I know that I have had great teachers who have helped me become who I am today, but there are none in particular who I really look up to as an inspiration. As a student I tended only to deal with my teachers as much as I had to, and wasn't really an admirer of any of them.

I've been blessed that I've met about 5 or 6 great teachers and professors that either (1) helped me with my career, (2) challenged me on every intellectual or philosophical position, or (3) supported me with quality advice. I've known people that didn't get this kind of feeling from the university or graduate school experience and I sure feel sorry for them.

If it weren't for my teachers, especially the better ones--but to some degree, all of them--I wouldn't have any of the things I value today. Teachers are undervalued, and I admire those who stick to this difficult career.

I am only giving three stars because I had so many lousy ones-but the good ones (although a minority) more than made up for the rotten ones.The Good teachers in my life get Hundreds of stars!(By the way- some of my Greatest teachers were not one's in school) However I am particularly grateful for the very old fashioned school Marms I had early in life.My k-6th Grade teachers were ALL women,who were elderly and had devoted more than half their lives to their profession:they taught every subject-math,science,spelling,history etc. to a newly integrated group of children.One of the things they REALLY instilled in their students was the notion of EQUALITY.The primary value I associate with the IDEAL America.We were taught that we were lucky-even Blessed,to live in a place where EVERYONE was treated as an EQUAL.Rich or Poor,Male or Female,Gay or Straight,Black or White:this value was instilled on us and to this day-I burn when I see our Government play favorites.