I Was Different - Memoirs of My Teaching 1996 to 2006

By Richard Lewis Baxter

It Is a memoir of a teacher and his experiences. It gives new concepts such as having students choose a professional name e.g. Dr. Jose, Teacher Ana, Lawyer Juan, etc. The teacher and students call each other by these titles. A class president who had to apply for the job. Effective assessment procedures. New Ideas for proper and fair teacher evaluation. Various and poignant events that happened to the teacher and the students. A criticism of current teaching practices (one size fits all) and the effect of one-on-one teaching. A teacher's love for his students and their response. Teaching students values and establishing a hard work ethic, with a desire to achieve.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Sep 29, 2014
• ISBN: 9781312561120

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I Was Different - Memoirs of My Teaching 1996 to 2006

I Was Different -

Memoirs of My Teaching

1996-2006

by

Richard Lewis Baxter

Copyright © 2014, Richard Lewis Baxter

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored, or transmitted by any means—whether auditory, graphic, mechanical, or electronic—without written permission of both publisher and author. Unauthorized reproduction of any part of this work is illegal and is punishable by law.

ISBN: 978-1-312-56112-0

CHAPTER ONE

Who is the Author?

What Molded His Way of Thinking?

I was born in 1940 in Fullerton, California. I am the first born of seven children. My parents had four children in a row; I was born in 1940, a brother in 1941, a sister in 1942, and a brother in 1943. They took a 6 year break and then had three more. When I was two, my family moved to Venice where my father worked developing airplanes at the Douglas Aircraft Company in Santa Monica. This was during WWII and my family was very poor. Just about everything was rationed. Each family was given a book of coupons which   determined how much of an item could be bought. My father would go behind the food stands and ask for food that was being thrown out. He didn’t mind, it was something to eat. My toys were rocks and sticks. The rocks were cars and the sticks were used to make roads. A broomstick with a string was my horse. My siblings and I would use our imaginations to make streets and roads in the dirt of the yard.

My father, by example, taught me a good moral character. He refused to speak ill of anyone, and would not allow us to do the same. He was always honest and truthful. He was a very Godly man. He gave me a strong religious foundation; taught me to consistently study the Bible, and to adhere to its principles only.

POINT 1 – I LEARNED TO MAKE THE SCRIPTURES MY GUIDE.

He was a strict disciplinarian and ruled his house. He was not mean or cruel; and every spanking I got, I deserved. He had a sense of looking at something and making improvements. He would say, There is a simpler way to do that, and then design a simpler way.

POINT 2 – I LEARNED TO ALWAYS LOOK FOR A BETTER WAY.

I was born with an innate curiosity. I have always asked, How... Why… etc. I would drive my parents and grandparents crazy, constantly asking them questions. Even now, when I can have a pleasant conversation with someone, I keep asking them questions.

POINT 3 - I HAVE A METHODICAL PERSONALITY, WHICH MAKES ME DEPENDABLE, RELIABLE, DETERMINED, AND SENSITIVE ABOUT MY INTEGRITY. I AM ALSO VERY LOYAL AND STUBBORN WHEN I KNOW I AM RIGHT.

In order to understand something, I have to know it thoroughly. My mother wrote in my baby book, He is a slow learner, but when he learns it, he has got it.

When I was thirteen, my family moved back to Fullerton. My father wanted us to be closer to our grandparents. I got to see more of my paternal grandmother who had a big impact on my life. She was tolerant of my constant questions and always showed that she loved me. The rare times she had to discipline me, she made it clear why, and then she would immediately change back to being the same loving Grandma again. She died when I was fifteen. I treasure the memory of the ideals she taught me. When I would want to stop working she would say, Never put off until tomorrow what you can do today. This is a good rule, but with my personality I have to think about and investigate something before I make a decision. To this day I love her dearly.

I had a Physical Education coach in high school who was strict and honest. He would often make comments about life. One day he said, I want you kids to go easy on your parents. When my mother died, my family fell apart.

POINT 4 – I LEARNED THAT A TEACHER’S LIFE EXPERIENCE COMMENTS CAN BE IMPACTFUL.

Another teacher asked me to do something and I had to get excused from my PE class. I went to the coach and said, Coach, may I-. He said, Yep! before I could finish my question. I was surprised and asked, Don’t you want a reason? He replied, I don’t need a reason from people I trust.

POINT 5 – I LEARNED THAT TRUST IS THE MOST VALUABLE COMMODITY THAT CAN BE EARNED.

In my junior year of high school my math teacher, who was in the Naval Reserve, told me about the many advantages it offered. He said I should look into joining. I joined for 6 years, with 2 years of active duty. After I graduated