"Skip the idiot steps" Bad Teacher stories.

[dr.strangelove]

30. My "coach teacher" was not, he was the best teacher I ever had

My history teacher was also the wrestling coach and an assistant (strength/conditioning) on the football team. He looked like a typical jock, but was he ever different than the stereotype. He was a "reader" and always passed great books onto his students. He loved US history, especially the pre-colonial through revolutionary period. He fostered such a love of history in me that I double-majored in college because I filled all of my electives with history classes. When I wrote my final paper (we needed a research project to get our BA in history) he sent me about a dozen books to read on my topic and even sent me notes of some things to be sure I considered. He also made us all go to the NY Public Library to learn how to do research and use primary sources. He was a classy guy. Once I went to law school we fell out of touch, but some years later in a great stroke of luck I started to work in the same firm where his wife was a partner. They both were great teachers. She helped me as a young lawyer become the attorney I am today. This let me re-connect with him and as adults, we are facebook friends and have political and historical conversations all the time.