>_< Most Influential Teachers/Professors (ELEMENTARY)

Believe it or not, I wanted to tackle this question/topic years ago but it wouldn't have been so complete and thorough becasue I wasn't exactly done with school yet. But now that I've graduated from university, I can hit every school that I've ever been to and mention the teachers/professors that put the most influence in my life in whatever way they may have done so. I DO plan on going to graduate school, but I think I've had my good share influence already, if anything I'll include them in an updated post. Also there might be a few other surprises I guess.

Before I get to that, however I'd like to ramble about the importance of having influential people in your life outside of your family. It's no secret that who we are and how we think is fundamentally shaped by our relationships with others. They create working models on who you eventually want to become. We base our impressions on these people to develop our sense of self. Of course we are always free to be who we want to be, but the lot of us find it much easier to have a sketch rather than a blank canvas. I believe when people outside of your immediate family have an impact on your life it allows you to change the way you think about people and society. It promotes social growth and allows you to talk to people, to look for more influences and to be open to more ideas. Without these people sure you could still be a great person, but with no influences you lack a backstory, a part of you forever shaded in grey. Boring. If you go through most of your life without someone influencing you, then the hobbies, careers, successes, failures, and passions in your life will all just be one thing... and that's boring. Ah, but again I digress, so let's start.


This is Joan Plasner. Mrs. Plasner when I was growing up. Quick side note - I only found this picture of her becasue she recieved the award for being an Outstanding Woman in our county in March 2010. Guess that makes her qualified as one of my influences. As I ran through all the teachers in my head from elementary school, she was definately the one that stuck out most. She was our choir teacher in elementary school. Actually, when I got to middle school, she transferred over there too after 6th or 7th grade. She had a reputation for being very mean, and sometimes, she was. Though if you showed patience with her, you'd get patience back. Back then choir was mandatory until 7th grade, so we had to see her. I will credit her to be the person who eliminated my fear of singing in front of people. She found out who I was and who I came to be as a signer. I remember one day she wanted to know if the students were either alto or soprano. There was a taboo amongst the children about boys who were in soprano, so I snuck my way into the altos. One day, however, she called me out on it and ansked me to sing a scale in C. Nervous, I agreed and belted one out in front of my class. With a smile, she put me into soprano. As I grew I stayed in soprano and eventually became a baratone. Throughout my school years she has graciouslly given me solo after solo so I could showcase my voice in front of peers and parents alike. Nowadys, I enjoy singing to anyone (at the right moment) and proud to say doing a decent job at it as well. I haven't spoken to her in years now, perhaps since the day she signed my yearbook in 8th grade when she retired. Finding her picture knowing shes doing well is very enlightening. I'll be sure to visit her one day.

This is Kenneth Foy. The black and white picture was more of the form I recognized him in. Since then he's... put on a couple pounds. Regardless, he goes on the elementary school list of most influential teachers (though he ruled all of my middle school) because he was introduced to me in the 4th grade. This great man was our band instructor. He united me to the intrument I'm proud to make music from: my drums. He was also a really cool guy, though he did develop a temper towards the end of my middle school days. Mr. Foy was the first to give me my drums and a pair of drumsticks. I eventually joined jazz band, where then I forced myself to take lessons in order to play the set. Growing up, I remember eating lunch in the band room instead of the lunch room countless times, and those were the most memorable times in middle school. He really taught me to express myself through music, and he showed that practice can turn adequacy into greatness. Mr. Foy was one of the first teachers I was able to casually talk with, narrowing the gap between student and teacher to just... friends. Since then Mr. Foy has become a PRINCIPAL of other schools. As long as he's the same chill guy, he'd make an awesome principal.

I'm kind of disappointed to say, but those are the only teachers that stand out when I think elementary school. I remember all my teachers: Ms. Bogan for kindergarten, Mrs. Zyra for 1st grade, Mrs. Molinari for 2nd grade, Mrs. Larkin for 3rd, and Ms. Decicco for 4th. Not much about those teachers really stick out.

Ms. Bogan sent me to the principal for punching a kid in the gut and upon my return, did not let me go back into class. She also let me play my Gameboy for what seemed like that whole school day while we were learning how to write the letter L. She traced my sillouhette off a projector which I STILL hang in my room today. None of those occurances are realyl influential.

Mrs. Zyra was the hottest teacher I've ever had. If I could find her picture, she would be on the list. But if thats all she had, then there isn't much else left to say. I do remember going over lines with her for a school play when I played a black sheep in the nursery rhyme "baa baa black sheep" .. my line was "yes sir yes sir three bags full."

Mrs. Molinari was a fun teacher. Every friday she would bring her guitar and sing to us before school was out. I forget which songs she would play, but I remember I was always anxious to see if she broke a nail playing.

Mrs. Larkin was known to be a really mean old lady. But she loved my writing and she loved my poetry. She was influential to me in some ways, but not too much... and I didn't catch on to writing much in the future. She sings for my churh choir.

Ms. DeCicco (spell check) was a new teacher, so I hadn't heard anything about her. I don't remember much, actually. One really vague moment is that she'd always like to call us out if we were doing something right. (ex. "I like the way [insert name here] is sitting quietly") and she would do that until every student followed suit. Clever girl.

The thing about our elementary school is that we didn't switch teachers with subjects. The one teacher we were assigned to was the theacher who taught us history, math, science, etc. So I rarely ever got to meet any of the other teachers. Finding influential people at such a young age is a great way to get that head start in life. I was blessed to find Mrs. Plasner and Mr. Foy becasue without them I probably wouldn't have the same taste in music, I wouldn't enjoy singing or making music. I always pride myself in seeing something in music that no one else could. It's all thanks to them.

ta ta kids