What makes the best educator? The ability to have every student learn? For every student in the classroom to have fun while learning something in the process? There is probably an endless list of things that can make a teacher the best, or top educator for the year. But I’m going to keep mine nice and simple.
Eighth grade was a tough year for me. I was going into my second of four shoulder surgeries, and I was behind from the year before. I was dragging every single day I walked into room 807. That it, untill I met my science and math teacher for the year: Mr. Wagner.
Mr. Wagner is a different character, standing in his own league. But his goal isn't to have fun, or to make sure each student learns something. His main goal as a teacher is to connect with student’s as a friend rather than as a teacher, as he did with me. What I mean by that is not to know a student as somebody he has to teach every day, but a friend he’s helping understand material given to them.
Mr. Wagner is loved by all of his students, so much that we gave him the nickname “Mr. Swagner.” People have been calling him that ever since. My younger brother is now in seventh grade and talks about how he still has that nickname we gave him five years ago.
Mr. Wagner is a kid at heart. Funny drawings, and even a bunny cut out in the front door, he’s geeky but it makes us laugh, and every year in science, he holds this competition to see who can list the most elements of the table without repeating. He would also bring this whole DJ set to class and play for us on Fridays! It was always a blast.
Now here’s where my personal friendship separates from the rest. When I had to say goodbye and went on to high school, I knew it wasn't going to be a final goodbye since my younger brother would have him as a student some day, but it became more than that. Mr. Wagner had become an older brother almost a father figure to me.
When I hit freshman year things got rough, and my dad didn't understand, so I turned to Mr. Wagner for the help. He’s the only teacher I have ever put 100% full trust into. When I told him what was going on, I sat in this men’s room crying for an hour or more. And he would sit there and tell me “You know, Aj, you're in high school, you’re a man now. So I’m going to tell you as straight as it is.Theres a lot of bulls**t you're going to go through, and it’s going to seem like it’s never going to end. But it’s going to last four years tops…Then your done, free. And all those bullies, and people that pick on you, You’ll be their boss someday.”
There was also an instance when I told Mr. Wagner things were bad enough at home that I was moving out. We talked about it for two weeks, almost everyday after school, and he asked me if it’s the right move, how my dad would feel, and how I would feel down the road. He told me, “Once it’s done it’s done, you can’t go backwards and redo it.” Mr. Wagner gave me the confidence I needed in life at the time, with valuable lessons to go with the confidence.
So what makes a best educator? Being able to have your students learn? Or your students having fun in the process? What makes a good educator is being able to connect with your student to where they are comfortable with you. And Mr. Wagner has done just that.
I haven't had the chance to talk to him the last year, but if I get the chance to, I would love to thank him for everything has done for me. “Mr. Swagner” is definitely one in his own league. He gave me more life knowledge and lessons then I would even begin to ask for.
Thank you, Mr. Wagner. You are by far the biggest influence in my life. And you should be proud of what you do with your students. There’s no teacher that will compare to you.