Of all the teachers a person meets throughout their life, the most memorable are the really good teachers and the really bad teachers. No matter which end of the spectrum a teacher is on, I believe we have a chance to learn from them. Sometimes you learn the right things to do, while other times, you learn what not to do.
Mrs. Garrison was a prime example of what not to do. Mrs. Garrison was my teacher in a high school research paper study hall. Even though it was a study hall, she had a few lessons to teach, but besides that, she did her best to avoid interacting with us. For the whole class period, she stayed at her desk and did her paper work, while we did ours.
Everyone in the class disliked her, and few of the students respected her rules. When she saw something she didn't like, she turned away, and pretended that no one was misbehaving. When approached and asked for help, she was often cold and not helpful. It didn't help that her physical appearance amtched her attitude eother. Many of the students and even some of the faculty referred to her as "Old Skin and Bones."
Despite her faults, I learned a lot from Mrs. Garrison's class. I learned that a students will only respect you if you command that respect and give it in return. I also learned that discipline problems don't go away if you avoid them. Most importantly, I learned that teaching is an active profession, and a passive teacher makes a great a door mat.
-- Saffron Brown, Florida Atlantic University