Do you have a favorite teacher? A favorite teacher is someone that you will never forget throughout your entire life. A teacher that has had a positive impact on your life, and a teacher that has taught you a lot in a way that you will never forget. Can you think of your favorite teacher?

My favorite teacher was from 8th grade in middle school at Skyline. He was my social studies teacher, and his name is Mr.Lingenfelter (we called him Mr. L). Mr. L always talked about wanting all of his students to “reach for the mountain top”. Mr.L wanted all of his students, by the end of the school year, to accomplish all of the goals he set forth and successfully complete all of the work. He always took time to work with anyone that had a question, didn’t understand, or didn’t do well on an assignment or a test. The mountain top phrase also stood for reaching your goals in life. Mr L. had a way about using real life situations when teaching. He inspired me to be a better student and a better overall person by having goals and striving to achieve those goals.

Mr.Lingenfelter had the perfect amount of discipline for everyone in the classroom because he knew how and when he needed to take control when students weren’t being cooperative. He was always in a great mood, so every time you saw him, it put a smile on your face. Mr. L helped his students in their personal lives, too. If anyone was having family problems, he would listen and offer great advice. The one thing I remember the most about Mr.L was that he absolutely loved to teach; he loved to share his knowledge. He was just a genuinely good person.

When Mr. L was teaching, he very often had us act out the material as characters. That style of teaching helped everyone learn and understand the material a lot better, because it left you with a great mental picture in your head. Social studies can be very boring if it is taught out of a textbook and I know that because it was never my favorite subject until 8th grade. Mr. L also had a certain way of teaching that encouraged everyone to participate and that led to a lot of open conversation, keeping everyone focused on what was being taught.

Mr. L was my favorite teacher of all time, and I sometimes wish he could be my teacher for every subject, in every grade. Mr. L is someone who inspired me to be a better person, and someone who taught me a lot. He not only believed in me; he believed in all of his students. I can only hope that I am like him one day, and that I inspire people I come in contact with. Mr. L is a GREAT role model and a GREAT teacher, which is why he should indeed be the Teen Ink 2014 Educator of the Year.