My Dad My Teacher

My Dad, My Teacher I ha ve h ad I ha ve h ad I ha ve h ad I ha ve h ad Un i ve rsit y. I ha ve h ad

a a a a

t ea che r t ea che r t ea che r t ea che r

wh o wh o wit h wh o

p ub lish ed a d o ze n b oo ks. spe a ks 12 la n gu a ge s f lue nt l y. t wo Ph . D. s an d a J. D. h ad be en a P re side nt of a

a t ea che r wh o h ad be en a wa rd ed a No be l P ri ze .

He ta u gh t m e h o w t o sh in gle a ro of , ho w to e a rn a b uck b y st rip p in g an d re c yclin g co p pe r wire , an d t ha t a san d wich of can n ed b la ck o live s is n ot som et h in g a kid can a pp re ciat e . He ta u gh t m e h o w t o u se a ca me ra , ho w to ca t ch a sn a ke , a nd ho w to wi re a b rea ke r bo x. He ta u gh t m e h o w t o sp lit an d st a ck wo od , ho w to bu ild a f ire h o w t o d ri ve a f ire t ru ck, ab ou t bo ra te bo mb e rs, ba ck f ire s, a nd wh y p ine t ree s e xp lod e du rin g a wi ldf ire .

Ye t , th e m ost inf lu en t ia l t ea che r in m y lif e wa s m y Da d. M y Da d ta u ght m e ho w to t ie m y sh oe s, ho w to wi re a re cep t a cle, a nd ho w to rep la ce t he a lte rn at o r in m y ca r. He ta u gh t m e h o w t o b a it a ho ok, ca st a lin e , a nd gu t a f ish . He ta u gh t m e t ha t ge tt in g st it che s in m y ch in is e asie r wh e n yo u h a ve so me on e ’s h an d t o squ e e ze . M y Da d ta u ght m e to rid e a b icycle a nd a m ot o rcycle , a nd h o w t o d ri ve a ca r. He ta u gh t m e h o w t o b ack- up a t ra ile r an d h o w t o ro ll a sle ep in g b a g rea ll y t igh t. He ta u gh t m e t ha t a loo k of d isap po in tm e nt cou ld be a m uch wo rse pu n ish me n t t ha n a wo o de n sp oo n . He ta u gh t m e a bo ut a ile ron s, f lap s, u p lif t, a nd to uch an d go s. M y Da d ta u ght m e ho w to rea d a m ap , re ad a n au to re pa ir m an ua l, an d re ad t he ed ge of Mo squ it o Ro ad e ve n in t he f o g. He t ried t o t ea ch m e a lge b ra, b ut I ga ve up on it. M y Da d ta u ght m e to p la y t he gu it a r, ho w to pu t ba cksp in on t he cue ba ll, a nd wh y I n ee de d to clea n th e d ist rib ut o r cap . He ta u gh t m e t ha t th e jo u rne y can be ju st a s f u n a t t he in te n de d de st in a t io n . M y Da d ta u ght m e th a t e n jo yin g yo u r wo rk is m o re imp o rt an t t ha n pro mo t ion s an d p re st ige .

M y Da d ta u ght m e no t to ma ke rid icu lou s t h re a t s t ha t yo u d on ’t int e nd to f o llo w t h ro u gh on – e sp e cia lly if th e gu y is b ig ge r th an h im a nd f lush in g a h ea d in t he to ile t is ha rde r t ha n it sou n d s. He ta u gh t m e t ha t ma n can live on bra n m uff in s f or b rea kf ast f o r e ight ye a rs wit h ou t co mp la in in g. He ta u gh t m e t ha t co mp le t in g a jo b yo u ca n b e p rou d of is wo rt h m o re t ha n t he pa yche ck. M y Da d ta u ght m e th a t yo u ’ re n e ve r t oo o ld to lea rn Mo rris Co de . He ta u gh t m e t o a sk f or m orp h in e as soo n as I a rri ve a t t he e me rge n cy roo m wit h a kid ne y sto ne . He ta u gh t m e t ha t it is p o ssib le f o r a ma n of f e w wo rd s to m ake a la st in g im p re ssion o n pe op le ’s li ve s – t h rou gh h is d ee d s a nd h is ch a ra ct e r. A nd th e la st t im e I sa w him , ju st se ve ra l mo nt h s a go , m y Dad st a rte d te a ch in g m e h o w t o u se P ho to sho p on m y co mp u te r. M y Da d , t h rou gh h is e xam p le , ta u gh t me t ha t e xpe rie n t ia l e du cat io n is mo re imp o rt an t th an a n y le ctu re . An d t ha t th e b est te a ch e r a ct s a s a co a ch d u rin g t he lea rn in g p ro ce ss a nd n ot a kno w- it -a ll e xp ou nd in g in f le xib le a ns we rs. I wo u ld no t h a ve ea rne d a Do cto ra te in Ed u ca t ion we re it n ot f o r th e m ost imp o rta n t e ssen t ia ls My Dad Ta u ght Me . D r. Sa nd i Ma rie S mit h , E du ca to r, Ju ne 9 , 2 00 8