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Challenge: Extraordinary Teachers

Children of Jack Cody

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So think about this for a moment: raised in small-town, church-centric, rural middle-America (Texas y’all!) and all of the things that make you love and hate that part of your life. Yes, I got Saved at church camp! Thought gay people were an “abomination”! Believed liberals (and scary movies and atheists and probably Jews) were trying to cause the end of our beloved ‘Merica.

Then, you walk into your Freshman English class (or Speech, or Drama) and gradually, over somewhere between 1 to 4 years... your mind is blown. By this incredible teacher who mildly says things like “you may change your mind about that when you’re older “ and “you may experience things that are different than what you know right now” when leading our discussions about literature, life, and performance. He was a Master Teacher- gently nudging us to open our minds and hearts to a greater shared experience, while making each one of us believe that he cared, that I was SMART! or exceptional, or gifted, or likable ...no matter that we were just smart-alek and SO teenage full of it.

Today, there are many members of all ages in a Facebook group called “Children of Jack Cody” who post regularly about the difference this one teacher made in the world. He doesn’t even “do” Facebook, but his wife (also an extraordinary teacher who is loved) reports what we share to him. And he dresses in his sharp tie and goes off every fall to keep making a difference in young minds, and changing the world.

I will always be grateful for this Teacher

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