The Soaring '20s Celebrate (EVEN MORE) Teachers!

Thank you, teachers! We’ve been celebrating you all week long for your tireless dedication, enthusiasm for your subjects, and care for your students. 

There’s still time to enter our Teacher Appreciation Week giveaway. Visit @soaring20spb on Twitter to enter by midnight PST tonight!

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Celebrating Our Favorite Teachers

Lindsay H. Metcalf

My first-grade teacher, Deanna Garlow, has been a reassuring constant. Beyond the basics, she created community. Our class phone book was a lifeline — my first real opportunity to build friendships outside of school. Now Mrs. Garlow’s voice is piping through my fourth-grader’s Chromebook in the dining room, helping his class navigate the uncertain world. 

Mrs. Garlow and Lindsay Metcalf, first grade, 1988

—Lindsay H. Metcalf, author of BEATRIX POTTER, SCIENTIST, illustrated by Junyi Wu (Albert Whitman & Co.), and FARMERS UNITE! Planting a Protest for Fair Prices (Calkins Creek); and co-editor, with Jeanette Bradley and Keila V. Dawson, of NO VOICE TOO SMALL: Fourteen Young Americans Making History, illustrated by Bradley (Charlesbridge)

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Larissa Marantz

The teacher who had a major impact on my creative growth as an artist was Don Lagerberg at CSU Fullerton. His energy and charisma in the class was motivating and inspiring. He saw the potential in me, encouraged me to go beyond my comfort zone, and became a model for me as an educator in the classroom. 

Keith Marantz

My favorite teacher in school was my chemistry teacher in eleventh grade. His name was Joachim Pfitzner. Imagine if Latka Gravas and Jake Gyllenhaal had a baby! He was outlandish and had a large obsession with German pogens, which he would politely coerce students to bring to him. That was an exceptional way to get on his good side if you weren’t. I’ll never forget him.

—Larissa and Keith Marantz, illustrator and author of CLYDE GOES TO SCHOOL and CLYDE LIKES TO SLIDE (Penguin Workshop)

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Candy Wellins

When most people think back on their high school days, they don’t remember trigonometry class fondly. But I do. And it’s all because of my teacher, Mr. Dale. His lessons were like stand-up comedy routines, complete with props and songs. If we were working out a problem and wound up with a zero as a denominator, he’d bring out a kid’s toy siren and call in the math police. When we were learning how to graph parabolas, he created a song (sung to the latest big hit “Macarena”) called “Hey, It’s a Parabola” and had us all sing along. Mr. Dale’s lessons were so fun, we often forgot we were learning complex math equations (and really enjoying math class). I hope everyone has a few Mr. Dales in their lives (especially when they’re taking trigonometry).

—Candy Wellins, author of SATURDAYS ARE FOR STELLA, illustrated by Charlie Eve Ryan (Page Street Kids)

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JULIE ROWAN-ZOCH

Julie Rowan-Zoch on her way to class at FIT, circa 1984 (Total extrovert, just didn’t like having her photo taken!)

Eli Kince pushed our design class extremely hard. Tears flowed often, but I adapted. My output soon garnered consistent praise, so I was really floored when my final grade was a B. When confronted he said, while I had performed well my work had not grown in comparison to my classmates. I brooded for a long time. Couldn’t he have challenged me more in class? What I eventually absorbed is what really made me grow: I have so much to thank him for, but I had placed too much value on a grade and the opinion of one person, professional or not. Getting floored and getting back up was a profound lesson, one for my entire creative life.

—Julie Rowan-Zoch, illustrator of LOUIS, written by Tom Lichtenheld (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)

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JOANA PASTRO

Joana Pastro and her mother

I was lucky to have many wonderful teachers, but today I’ll honor the very best one: my mom, Maria da Penha Pedrosa! While we lived in England she taught me the Brazilian curriculum at our kitchen table every day after school. Thanks to her love and dedication, when we returned home I achieved perfect scores on my report cards and was able to start fourth grade right away. Thank you, Mum!

—Joana Pastro, author LILLYBELLE, A DAMSEL NOT IN DISTRESS, illustrated by Jhon Ortiz (Boyds Mill & Kane)

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THANK YOU, TEACHERS! For more Teacher Appreciation stories, be sure to check out our posts from Monday and Wednesday. And if you haven’t already, please tell us about a special teacher in your life in the comments.

The Soaring ‘20s Celebrate (More) Teachers!

It’s Teacher Appreciation week, and all week long we’re celebrating the wonderful teachers in our lives! Scroll down for more stories about special teachers from Soaring ‘20s creators.

We’re also running two book-bundle giveaways just for teachers this week @soaring20spb on Twitter!

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Click here to go to the Upper Elementary bundle contest.

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Click here to go to the Lower Elementary bundle contest.

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Celebrating Our Favorite Teachers

MARY WAGLEY COPP

I had so many wonderful teachers. The ones that I remember the most, probably the ones that I also learned the most from, were those who were FUN! Making learning fun is a key to keeping most kids engaged in your topic. Monsieur Matson, my ninth-grade French teacher, was funny, likable and cheerful. We all loved going to his class and we all loved learning French! Merci Monsieur Matson!

— Mary Wagley Copp, author of WHEREVER I GO, illustrated by Munir D. Mohammed (Atheneum/Simon & Schuster)

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KELLY CAREY

Brenda Webster’s fifth-grade classroom bubbles with creative learning. She celebrates Taco ‘bout Books, Poetry Pizza, and Starbooks Café days. Her classroom is lush with comfy reading spots and every student is allowed to discover a love for reading and their own gifts for storytelling. I am grateful for the chance to be a part of her classroom as a #KidsNeedMentors author. 

— Kelly Carey, author of HOW LONG IS FOREVER?, illustrated by Qing Zhuang (Charlesbridge)

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CARRIE FINISON

I had many dedicated teachers through the years, but one who stands out is Paul Esposito, my high school Latin teacher. He went far beyond helping us sort out Latin declensions — he oozed enthusiasm for the language and all things Roman. Even though it was hard work, the class never felt like a chore, or a bore. And it turns out that learning to scan the meter in lines of Latin poetry was great preparation for writing in rhyme!

— Carrie Finison, author of DOZENS OF DOUGHNUTS, illustrated by Brianne Farley (Putnam)

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KJERSTEN HAYES

Every year, my second- through fourth-grade teacher, Marcy Vancil, took her classes on pretend, but real-to-us, traveling adventures. We wrote journals, read about places we “visited,” and even figured out exchange rates for money. One year we made our classroom a time machine and “traveled” back in time! Marcy made the world and my imagination come alive. 

— Kjersten Hayes, author of THE ELEPHANTS’ GUIDE TO HIDE-AND-SEEK, illustrated by Gladys Jose (Sourcebooks Jabberwocky)

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ELISA BOXER

As a painfully shy child, I was always getting comments on my report cards like, “too quiet,” and “She just needs to come out of her shell,” and “If she would just get her nose out of books and talk to the other kids . . .” And then there was Susan Young, my first- and second-grade teacher who nurtured my love of reading and embraced my shyness and sensitivity. We followed similar paths, both teaching yoga/meditation and writing books. Here’s to those teachers who reflect back our true selves!

— Elisa Boxer, author of THE VOICE THAT WON THE VOTE, illustrated by Vivien Mildenberger (Sleeping Bear Press)

Craving more Teacher Appreciation stories? Check out Monday’s post, and swing by the blog Friday for round three. We also want to hear your stories. Please share in the comments!

The Soaring ‘20s Celebrate Teachers!

During Teacher Appreciation week, the Soaring ‘20s picture book debut group is celebrating the teachers, past and present, who have made a difference in our lives. Now, more than ever, we appreciate teachers’ efforts to find connections with their students even (and especially) when times are tough. Scroll down to read our stories.

But first . . .

Two Giveaways for Teachers!

We are running a giveaway through our Twitter account, @soaring20spb, for two separate book bundles:

Click here to head to Twitter and enter the giveaway for the Upper Elementary bundle, which includes:

• WHEREVER I GO by Mary Wagley Copp, illustrated by Munir Mohammed (Atheneum)

• WOOD, WIRE, WINGS: EMMA LILIAN TODD INVENTS AN AIRPLANE by Kirsten W. Larson, illustrated by Tracy Subisak (Calkins Creek)

• THE VOICE THAT WON THE VOTE by Elisa Boxer, illustrated by Vivien Mildenberger (Sleeping Bear Press) 

• RESCUING THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE By Anna Crowley Redding, illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham (HarperCollins)

• INVENT-A-PET by Vicky Fang, illustrated by Tidawan Thaipinnarong (Sterling Children’s Books)

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Click here to head to Twitter and enter the giveaway for the Lower Elementary bundle, which includes:

• CLYDE GOES TO SCHOOL by Keith Marantz, illustrated by Larissa Marantz (Penguin Workshop)

• CLYDE LIKES TO SLIDE by Keith Marantz, illustrated by Larissa Marantz (Penguin Workshop)

• THE ELEPHANTS’ GUIDE TO HIDE-AND-SEEK by Kjersten Hayes, illustrated by Gladys Jose (Sourcebooks)

• HOW LONG IS FOREVER? by Kelly Carey, illustrated by Qing Zhuang (Charlesbridge)

• TOO STICKY! Sensory Issues with Autism by Jen Malia, illustrated by Joanne Lew-Vriethoff (Albert Whitman)

Now for those stories we promised.

Celebrating Our Favorite Teachers

Vicky Fang

Vicky Fang, high school, 1993.

My drama teacher in high school, Mr. Lindberg, shaped who I am in so many ways. What I loved about him was his ability to see and respect his students. He wasn’t afraid to talk about the mess and beauty of the world with his students in a real way. He didn’t underestimate or sugarcoat, and he set an example of honesty, kindness, imperfection, thoughtfulness, and passion. To this day, I think about some of the lessons I learned from him, and I appreciate the advice he gave me even long after I graduated. I know I’m not the only one. He recently retired, leaving a legacy of amazing performances and inspired alumni. Thank you for everything, Mark Lindberg.

— Vicky Fang, author of INVENT-A-PET, illustrated by Tidawan Thaipinnarong (Sterling Children’s Books)

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Angela Burke Kunkel

I don’t remember the exact moment, but I’m sure that Alexandra Mikan, my eleventh-grade English teacher, was the one who encouraged me to apply to the “Fresh Voices” competition, a part of Connecticut’s annual Sunken Garden Poetry Festival. When I placed as a semi-finalist, Ms. Mikan spent days with me after school, working with me one-on-one and helping me prepare for the reading that would determine which teen poets would read at the festival. She spent hours listening to me read, reviewing each poem with me line by line. She talked about emphasis, line breaks, word choice . . . and I also remember the moment she cried during one of my poems (teen me was so taken aback!). While I didn’t place as a finalist or read at the festival, the time Ms. Mikan spent with me helped build my belief in myself as a writer — and I even became a high school English teacher. I’m forever grateful to her for those hours spent after school in a classroom, talking about poetry, after what I’m sure was already a very long day.

— Angela Burke Kunkel, author of DIGGING FOR WORDS: José Alberto Gutiérrez and the Library He Built, illustrated by Paola Escobar (Random House/Schwartz & Wade)

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Kirsten W. Larson

I want to give a shout-out to fifth-grade teacher Lori Mann. From letting students sample new genres through “book tastings,” to hosting after-school book clubs, Miss Mann’s mission is to connect young readers with books. She even installed two Little Free Libraries in front of her Title 1 School.

Teacher Lori Mann with her Little Free Library

— Kirsten W. Larson, author of WOOD, WIRE, WINGS: Emma Lilian Todd Invents an Airplane, illustrated by Tracy Subisak (Calkins Creek)

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Anna Crowley Redding

I truly had wonderful teachers, but when I went back to college to pursue writing, it was my English teacher, Gerald Mackey, who made all the difference. He didn’t treat me like just a student. He treated me like a writer. I took myself, my work, and my path more seriously and I am forever grateful to him!

— Anna Crowley Redding, author of RESCUING THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE: How We Almost Lost the Words That Built America, illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham (Harper Collins)

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Jen Malia

I want to recognize pre-K teachers Miss Joy (English) and Miss Viky (Spanish) who have taught all three of my kids in a Spanish immersion program at Courthouse Academy. I named the second-grade teacher in TOO STICKY! after Miss Joy and tried to capture her patience and support in the classroom. My daughter, Holly, and son, Nick, had therapists shadowing them in their pre-K classroom. Miss Joy and Miss Viky made Holly and Nick feel included and loved.

Jen Malia and her kids celebrate TOO STICKY!

— Jen Malia, author of TOO STICKY! Sensory Issues with Autism, illustrated by Joanne Lew-Vriethoff (Albert Whitman)

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Be sure to visit the Soaring ‘20s blog all week for more posts celebrating our favorite teachers. Do you have a story about a special teacher in your life? Please share in the comments!