13 great teachers

A good student shows initiative, creativity, determination and—sometimes—a willingness to take risks.

Being a great teacher, apparently, requires the same sort of spirit.

Recently, we asked Current readers about teachers that had made a difference in their lives. Today, we’re highlighting 13 of your responses. They include a woman honoured for war heroism, a music teacher who enlisted students to create an internationally recognized album of cover songs, and teachers who sparked a love for geology, history, nature, and sports in their pupils.

You can find our second bunch of terrific teachers here.

Miss Evans - St Joseph’s Catholic School, Port Talbot, Wales

Ralph Jones writes that Evans, a biology teacher, was critical to training pupils to pass their university exams. If they failed to pass, they would be forced to leave school

“Biology was my love & obsession,” Ralph writes. “I was also interested in art , history & philosophy. She said then you should consider medicine as a career. I thought about it & 52 years later am still practising. If not for her suggestion, who knows where or what I would have become.”

Mr. G - Robert Bateman Secondary School, Abbotsford

A parent writes: “He mentored my son, was super available for questions/exploration/expansion of ideas related to metallurgy and mechanics. Now my kid has graduated from BCIT aircraft mechanical engineer program and is working on his apprenticeship.”

Jamie Thomas - Belmont Elementary School, Langley; Ms. Tener - Brookswood Secondary

Barbara writes: “Energy, energy and passion and enthusiasm, and the students responded in kind. Mr. T was the music teacher for about 400 students. Children lined up to audition for special parts in his Christmas concerts and musicals. Parents lined up for a seat. The venue eventually moved to the LEC as the gym at Belmont couldn’t hold the audience. High school students returned to Belmont to sing along at the Christmas concerts - several favourite songs were his creations. Christmas at Belmont even got radio airtime one Christmas (words changed to remove “Belmont”) When he retired a few years ago hundreds of former students showed up and joined a montage of various musicals he had staged over the years.

“He spent hours after hours on musical rehearsals, stage building, taught with the Langley Ukelele group.

“The second teacher that comes to mind is Ms. Tener from Brookswood Secondary. Energy, enthusiasm and passion also describe her approach to teaching. What other socials teacher is remembered for standing on her desk in period costume to lecture? She put a lot in, and expected (and got) a lot from her students.”

Enid Kulesh - McCammon Elementary School, Chilliwack

Elizabeth writes: “Enid was of the old school training. She never got her degree only Teacher's College certificate but she never needed courses to know how to teach.

“Enid taught Kindergarten and Grade 1. One of the things she had the children do was to make a scrapbook of the alphabet and she used her natural art skills to guide each child along. Enid believed there was no such thing as a bored child, or a child that couldn't learn something. Enid also excelled in her rhyming ability. She once made a song and booklet about the classroom mouse that I took home for a long weekend and that escaped.

"There's a mouse in the house, It gives me the willies said Mrs. Gillies etc etc." was both a hoot and a hit with our Grade 1's. Her caring ways, her innate ability to reach into children's minds and souls, made her one of the most beloved teachers by other educators, students and parents alike.

Barry Reid - Glenwood Elementary School / Westview Secondary School, Burnaby/Maple Ridge

Brent writes: “How often does one have a great teacher? How often can you have that person teach you at one level and then find that teacher has transferred schools allowing him to be your teacher again in Junior high? That was Mr. Reid, my grade 7 teacher in Maple Ridge (circa 1977 thru 1980) who in my surprise became my homeroom teacher as well English and history studies in grade 8. He even organized classes for us to learn canoeing skills at the UBC research forest.

“Mr. Reid assisted me early on with my reading and writing skills. He was the only one to discover that I was not learning disabled, it's just that no other teacher realized that all I needed was stimulation in the form of something to read that interested me. It would seem that ironically I mastered reading via Mr. Reid!

“Most importantly to me though was a elective class in junior high Mr. Reid called ‘Vancouver History.’ Mr. Reid not only provided us with books and photos on local history but put us in a bus and took us to Gastown where we walked the streets of old Vancouver while Mr. Reid pointed out many famous historical sites as well as many that few people know about. Barry Reid in that one effort spurred a life-long interest in local history in my young mind that still takes me away for hours reading history books, combing the internet or when time allows, camping out where I have actually walked sections of the Cariboo Wagon Road while sharing my interest with my wife and others. I hope, as I near 60 years of age, that Mr. Reid is still with us and might know of his lasting impression on students like myself. One thing, If your out there Barry; I'm still waiting for that canoeing certificate!

Mrs. Popino - Western Hills Elementary, Omaha

Claudia writes: “She read a book to us, I still remember it was Toby Tyler. It is about a boy who joined the circus. All classes had a chorus and the teacher allowed me to harmonize as we sang. "Our class went to hear the Omaha Symphony Orchestra and they played Dvorak's New World Symphony, the only time I was exposed to a professional orchestra. I decided then that I would become a musician. That was not my career but I learned to play instruments and now (in my 70s) I am in an orchestra. And books have also been a joy.”

Dame Leah Manning - Felsden, United Kingdom

Sara writes: “She was an incredible teacher, taking us (aged 10-11) for every subject, including home ec. I cannot specify exactly what made her so great, but I remember EVERYTHING I learned from her (I am now 83).

“Many years after I left school, I learned that she had been knighted by King George VI for her fantastic work rescuing children from the bombing of Bilbao by Franco during the Spanish Civil War. Please see the many sites on the internet that detail her life and achievements. I have visited the commemorative park to her in Bilbao. It was on my bucket list!”

Editor: You can read Leah Manning’s Wikipedia entry here. 

Mrs. Pat Kennealy - Alexander Elementary School, Abbotsford

Nancy writes: “I volunteer at the school where Mrs. Kennealy taught (Alexander Elementary) in Abbotsford. I watched her with the students in her class, engaging with all of them, ensuring their participation in activities & inclusion. “

“Mrs. K took her class on weekly outdoor excursions to enhance their appreciation for nature & conservation. She fostered a classroom where mutual respect, kindness and learning were part of the culture. There were many tears from both students & fellow staff when Mrs. K. took a position in the Mission School District where she was able to focus more on her love of nature & nature studies. “

Danielle Mackenzie - Piano teacher

Carol writes: “Danielle has been teaching my daughter piano for 8 years- half of the lesson is the two of them chatting about life, the other half is teaching how to feel and integrate music into her life. Avery plays piano everyday because she loves the piano. If she feels low, she plays the piano, if she feels great, she plays the piano. Thank you Danielle for being the best teacher!”

Bruce Langford - Now: Simon Fraser University; Previously: schools in Mission and Langley

Deanna writes: “This man changed the course of my life. He taught me social studies from 1984 to1986, and then in 1988 and1989. He was so much more to me than just my socials teacher. He was a friend, a mentor, and was one of very few adults in my life that I trusted whole heartedly. He has a communication style that sets him apart from other teachers and adults. He connected with his students on an intellectual level. He showed levels of compassion and understanding without judgement. He has a dedication for his pupils that was never matched by any other teachers. His teaching style coupled with his sincere approach to his students allowed him to become a strong trusted roll model for many of his students.

“One of Mr. Langfords passions in life was basketball. When I met Mr. Langford he had been coaching the Grade 8 girls team. And i believe this is where I realized Bruce Langfords true God given talent was coaching basketball. And since that time he has become in my opinion one of the greatest basketball coaches of all time.”

Editor: Langford’s university biography can be found here. You can read a long story about Langford from 2021 here.

Miss Hudson and Mr. Linfoot - Ranch Park Elementary, Coquitlam

Jamie writes: “Back in the early ‘70s, Miss Hudson, my Grade 6 teacher, was an amazing teacher who rewarded us with music. We were one of the first schools in the district to receive the Orf Bells. Once we finished our school work during the day, we’d set up all the bells and play and practice our songs. This was right up my alley, I love music so was highly motivated, as many of my classmates were, to complete my work then move on to the fun stuff: making music.

“In Grade 7, with Mr Linfoot a similar experience was impressed upon me as we had a full-size ping pong table set up in the middle of our classroom. Again, great motivation to complete assigned work so we could continue our ping pong matches while others were cheering us on and strategizing for their matches. This created for me a healthy sense of competition and camaraderie.

Mr. Hans Fenger - Glenwood Elementary, Langley

Lea (then Lois) writes: “Mr. Fenger was my music teacher in 1976 and 77. He taught at three different schools in Langley at that time. His novel way of creating a passion for music and singing was what made him stand out.

“We were singing David Bowie, Fleetwood Mac, Beach Boys, Klaatu, etc. He brought a reel-to-reel into the schools at the end of the year and recorded us on vinyl. We each got an album. Decades later someone discovered one of the albums and started playing it on an outsider music station. This resulted in a CD compellation of all of the albums and a reunion of us on MTV. The information on this can be found by Googling 'Langley School Music Project' or 'Hans Fenger' and you can find the CD (Innocence and Despair) on Amazon. I reconnected with Hans on Facebook and then later on got to know him again in my ‘50s. My connection to music comes from this man and it has affected how I lived my life.

Surprisingly, Lea isn’t exaggerating. You can read a Wikipedia entry about the project here. The Austin Chronicle reviewed the album in 2001. They wrote: “As a child of the Seventies, it's hard listening to this album and not wanting to recast yourself as a student in Hans Fenger's elementary school music class. Recorded with two microphones at a rural British Columbia school gym in 1976-77, Innocence & Despair pits enthusiastic 9- to 12-year-old novices against contemporary pop hits in a manner that resonates with a joy unfettered by convention.” Pitchfork, the legendarily tought-to-please online music publication, gave the album an 8.0 rating. “these people put so much joy and interest (trust me, having interested kids is never a given for teachers) into the proceedings, that they make this CD good by sheer force of will".”

Global wrote a long story about the project, and interviewed Fenger, in 2016.

Bob Hagkull - Camp River Elementary School, Chilliwack

Dave writes: “He was a first year teacher and principal of a two-room school…about 55 students. He would read a chapter from a book everyday after lunch hour. I’m sure to calm us down…remember a big about the St. Roch voyage thru the Northwest Passage. And he would come out and play sports/games at lunch hour and even after school.

“We [and the other farmer kids] didn’t have a lot of money so he bought a nice football and did we ever treasure the times playing with him. He could also smack the softball across the whole playing field and the same with kicking a soccer ball. I was able to reconnect with him several times and thank him for those amazing years! He later became a principal and joined the district staff. I eventually became a high school teacher and first years was a Phys Ed teacher and tried to do the same with my students.

Mr. Dennis - Glen School, Coquitlam

A reader writes: “He saw my potential and love for science and encourage me.”

Jim Anderson - Clark State Community College

Bietta writes: “My husband is an American, I moved to Springfield, Ohio ,from Burnaby in 2000. He worked at a college so tuition was free we only had to pay for books.

“I decided to go back to school to get a business degree, one of the required classes was Algebra. ARGH! I failed it miserably in Grade 10 but I had to take it! First day in Mr. Anderson’s class was amazing and I was getting it, it all made sense. He showed us how to use algebra in everyday things. It all clicked! He also recorded his lectures so if you got stuck or missed a class you could sign out that class and watch it. I thrived and loved his class. I passed with a B+, missed getting an A by 2 points but I was thrilled. I wished he had been my teacher in grade 10!

 Mrs. Turner - Peterson Road Elementary School, Langley

Sara writes: “Strict, ‘old school’ teacher who taught my daughter so much in grade 2 and 3. My daughter is now in high school and is being taught a lot of things that Mrs. Turner already taught her! Mrs. Turner never went on field trips but she brought a lot of things to the classroom (for example one class she had whale bones brought in and the kids were amazed at the size of them). She taught handwriting (something that isn’t taught anymore unfortunately), proper English and even manners. Unfortunately she retired before she could teach my son.

Mrs. Bell - Nicomen Island Elementary

David writes: “This small one room school had one teacher teaching Grades 1 to 4 in one room. I attended for Grades 1 to 3 in 1953 to 1956. Mrs Bell taught three generations of farm children on Nicomen Island.”

Ray Pomeroy - Prince Charles Secondary School, Creston

Trudy writes: “Through Ray's Drama classes, I was able to travel to Europe with a repertoire theatre group and later work in summer stock theatre. This early experience allowed me to get into a television and education career that lasted a lifetime.

Bill Henderson - Robert Bateman Secondary School, Abbotsford

Katherine writes: “Mr. Henderson officially taught tech (which in the 90s included video editing on VHS, early computer animation, HTML, and CAD) but unofficially he taught us how to be human. He had a policy where all of his students graded themselves. Yes, we got to pick our own grade. But we then would have to justify why we deserved it. He would point out if you were too hard on yourself, or too easy, and though we didn’t know it at the time mimicked what many people experience in the workplace. How to speak about the work you’ve done and argue what you’re worth to your boss.

“He talked about things outside the walls of the school, bringing world events into our lives. He talked about other work that he was doing in tech, breaking the idea that you could only have one career. He added a couch and TV to make the tech room a safe space for everyone, and supported the LGBTQ students challenging anyone who made ‘gay jokes’ which were ubiquitous in the 90s. Bill Henderson was an undercover rebel in jeans, glasses, and a big mug of coffee.”

Mr. Ollie - Queen Mary Elementary School, North Vancouver

Suzyn writes: “I was in Grade 5. For those who couldn't afford the field trips, Mr. Ollie had us over to his home and we were to clean his spotless car. Then he paid for us. We had cookies, milk and treats and were so loved. We couldnt wait to go, and we sang and danced with him there encouraging us. He and his wife had no children, but they were so loving joyous and loved us. It is probably my most wonderful memory.

Miss Jean Limbert - Harrison Hot Springs Elementary

Maria writes: “Miss Limbert taught a split class of Grades 1 and 2 in the 1950s. There was no Kindergarten, so she had her hands full with 40 children. (No classroom help either in those days.) I remember half way through the year in Grade 2 she asked Margaret and I to help other classmates. We had fun, as we felt we were helping those who needed a little more assistance. Great memories of that school! Miss Limbert was a great teacher!

Mr Palfreyman - Bear Creek Elementary School, Surrey 

Patti writes: “My favourite teacher (Mr. Palfreyman) made school interesting. I especially liked spelling baseball. Our class was a 5,6,7 split so that was in 1964-67. He used the word lists at the end of our Speller text. He would assign simpler words as a one-base hit, a little harder was a two-base hit, harder still for a three-base hit and a difficult word for a home run. Maybe I liked this game because I was a good speller or this game made me a good speller....I'm not sure.

“Now here is a really interesting part. I was the dispatcher at Langley School District and was interviewing for new school bus drivers. One of the applicants had the same surname as my favourite teacher. When I interviewed him I managed to find out that my favourite teacher was his dad. I told him that his dad was my favourite teacher. I ended up hiring him as a school bus driver. Some time later he completed his education and became a teacher. His dad would have been so proud!”

Mr. PD Morris - Hope Secondary School 

Linda writes: “Mr. Morris taught Science and Biology. This was back in the 70s. I’m not sure when he retired. I looked forward to going to class because he made learning about science very interesting and fun. He had a great sense of humour. He was a favourite teacher to many students and is remembered fondly when we reminisce about high school days. “

John Lent - Okanagan University College

Tyler (the editor of this piece) writes: “All I knew when I walked into John’s creative writing in the first year of university knowing I liked to write. That class functioned as a “workshop,” with students presenting and reading their work, and then the rest of the class analyzing it and saying what they liked about it and what could make it better.

“That class, the way John guided it firmly but gently, and the delight he clearly took in the arrangement of words in certain ways has stayed with me and can be found within The Current and everything else I’ve written. But it’s usually found just below the surface because what I found in John’s class was not a love of writing or creating, but for refining and editing and for shaping voice.

“The fact that I see the process as something that can be fun and interesting rather than (or sometimes, in addition to) being a pain in the ass: that’s something that John deserves credit for.”

You can find John’s website here. I just found this story about John’s creative writing courses.