17 Comments

You were one of my best teachers. I can't say I'm not an introvert still, but I'm significantly less of one from learning to be in the experience.

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Thanks, Luke. I know you were looking for a teaching job yourself. I hope you find one or found one already. Glad you’re also writing on Substack.

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Even in the middle of the dang desert, they insist on a masters degree. 25 years of being a prfessional isn't enough.

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It was the exact opposite when I got hired at USC. That’s too bad. They should hire professionals.

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USC understands the business. Copper Mountain Community College is insulated from anywhere and just has their rulebook.

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Oct 18Liked by Eric Trules

I love this post - thanks, Trules. You are one of the most remarkable and influential teachers I've ever had, and carry on lessons learned from you in my classrooms and other spaces where I am privileged to have an opportunity to empower and facilitate.

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Good to see your name, Kat👍 Thanks for giving me your own shout out and for using some of the things you learned from me to pass on to others. Can you do me a favor and “like “the post.

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You bring back the smell of chalk and the sound of ink scratching the surface of lined paper. What great memories and what wonderful people the Teachers are.

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Thanks, Elizabeth. What did you/do you do for a living?

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I breathed

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Just kidding. I have been in HR

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Thank you Eric. I just forwarded your post to the three teachers in my family: My wife, my son, and my son-in-law. Thank you for expressing so many aspects of every teacher that go unnoticed and unappreciated all too often.

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Thanks for reading and sharing my post, David. I’m glad my own experiences resonate with others. Isn’t that the reason we write?

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Oct 18Liked by Eric Trules

I love this piece about learning and teaching. I had Mrs Eleanore Gluck as my honors English teacher and credit her with teaching me to be a good writer. She started off the school year putting large RED Fs ( you FAILED) on everyone’s compositions and we worked our way up from the bottom during that school year. Those demanding teachers, with high expectations, prepared us well and I thank them.

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Thanks for reading and for your comment, sister. Mrs. Gluck was the “other” English honors teacher for the rest of us E program students who didn’t have General Greene. Still, I’m glad I was in the General’s army🤩🤠.

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Great teachers certainly have the power to change a lot of lives. One approach is the examples you cite of pushing students hard to go beyond where they might go on their own. But another approach is to inspire the students by continually opening doors to new worlds they were not aware of, then watching them take off through those doors, exploring on their own. After seeing many pictures of you with your students, I strongly suspect you were the latter variety.

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Thanks, Jim. It looks like you were able to repost your comment in the right place. Hope to see you soon around Santa Fe.

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