“My teacher gave me the best gift of all…believing in me”.
(Unknown)
The Five-Minute Thursday writing prompt has been a fun detour with my blog writing. Never thought I would enjoy a scripted prompt this much, but it has become a staple writing exercise for me.
So, let’s give the Five-Minute Thursday writing prompt another run. Not sure if I shared this in an earlier post but I am a proficient typist. I signed up for 10th grade Typing 1 class with designs to meet girls in high school. Turns out the skills I learned in this class as a 15-year-old have propelled my professional life and opened numerous doors for me. I would not be able to crank out weekly blog posts without the ability to type and put my thoughts down. I type as fast as I think so getting a lot of content completed is an easy task for me. Never imagined my attempt to meet girls in high school would provide me with a skill that helped me separate from my peers.
My fifth prompt for Five Minute Thursday is: My Favorite teacher—Mattie Fouraker.
I officially met Mrs. Fouraker in the 10th grade, and she was my typing teacher. She took a special interest in me and decided that I would learn how to type well in the year we had together. She also decided that I was not in her class to meet young ladies and put me on the far end of her class so my interactions would be limited. She made a point to get onto anyone who distracted me while I was in her class. This set-up created a typing incubator that allowed me to thrive in her class and taught me a valuable skill that I leverage daily. I was recognized as the best typist in class with a 65 words per minute with 99% accuracy rating—not bad for someone in class just to meet girls. 😊 Our football coach always made a point to identify I had the best hands on the football team—not bad for a wide receiver.
Mrs. Fouraker made a point to keep taps on me throughout the rest of my time in high school. She always made me feel special and provided life advice on the best way forward. I never took another class with her, but she continued to mentor me daily. I progressed to Typing 2 the following year but did not enjoy the class as much because I was just another student to the teacher in that class. My typing skill level remained sharp based on the tools Mrs. Fouraker helped me develop in my time with her.
Our relationship continued during my time in the Air Force. We shared cards and letters over the years that helped us stay connected over the decades. She remains one of my biggest advocates and follows the Walk into the Future blog weekly. I will visit her when time permits when I return home to Jasper, Florida. Mrs. Fouraker lives one town over in White Springs, Florida and it puts a smile on my face when I stop by.
Amazing what a teacher that believes in you can do to propel your life forward!
Thanks, Mrs. Fouraker for guiding me over the years! 😊
Who is your favorite teacher? Do they know that?
Irie!
“The art of teaching is the art of assisting discovery”.
(Mark Van Doren)
Walk Into the Future 