Share Your Gift

Doug Eckert was a young man who came to class dressed in plaid pants, madras ties, and white running shoes--not really common dress for Southern California high school teachers. He was quiet, self-effacing, pretty much a regular guy. But he could captivate students with his love for teaching Western Civ, and with his respect for and genuine interest in his students. He made Charlemagne relevant and Giotto accessible. Kids' questions were interesting to him, and his questions to us were engaging. His was the first "profile" I did for my freshman journalism class (and it wasn't till long after that I realized he'd given up his lunch period to do the interview).

How did Mr. Eckert do it? I don't really know. Do you? How do you captivate your students, enter their brains, change their lives? We here at NEA Today are always interested in hearing your story. The magazine sports a new, updated look starting with this issue, and our commitment to conveying the true spirit of the teaching profession continues stronger than ever. To fulfill that, we need to hear from you, our readers, on your professional accomplishments, struggles, and the daily heroics that resonate with students forever.

More than 20 years have passed since that Western Civ class, and the state of public education has changed. I don't know how much time Mr. Eckert would have had for lunch if he hadn't taken time for my interview, but today's teachers get on average 32 minutes to take a break and grab a sandwich. Teachers now are better trained than ever; they're also spending more time at work than ever (see cover story). Still, educators have retained their unique ability to change lives and create lifelong memories.

And those memories hang on tight. A few years after I'd had his class, Mr. Eckert died while in his early 30s. It was big news, sad news, for the community. Hundreds of students--and their parents--had lost an honored teacher, coach, and friend. Today, I search for and find Mr. Eckert's qualities as I look at my own children's educators, and I think of him whenever my affection for the Italian Renaissance crops up. Whom have you influenced, and how? You have a gift--please write in and share.

Editor-in-Chief
Leona Hiraoka