Mr. Hemmelgarn is one of the few people who have made a positive impression on me. One of the few people who can make me laugh, smile, and actually enjoy myself. I am currently a junior in high school and last year I had an awful experience with a teacher (http://teenink.com/nonfiction/personal_experience/article/455397/The-Talk/). I have been clinically depressed for a couple of years and my experience last year did not help. I have thought of committing suicide and just wishing I was dead. I no longer think about committing suicide but I am questioning what the point of living is if we are all going to die. I cannot seem to get a positive view of life; except for when I am with Mr. Hemmelgarn.
Mr. Hemmelgarn is my fourth period English teacher. My parents are divorced and I live with my mom. I have been looking for a male role model and the teacher from last year did not help. At the start of the year I had a different teacher who was considered crazy but I talked to my school counselor and I got switched into his class. He was the teacher that had helped me perfect my paper about the other teacher from last year.
Fourth period is the only period I look forward to. No other class really interests me. English is not even my favorite subject; well it was not until I had Mr. Hemmelgarn as a teacher. He does simple things that make everyone in the class happy. He always has a smile on his face and starts the day off by saying “Good morning scholars” and then has a student read the quote and useless fact of the day and then rewards the student with a sticker. He also reads us three minutes of a book at the start of class. The best days are Fridays though when he shows the class Web Finds. Web Finds are funny or really impressive things found on YouTube or some other website that students submit to him. He makes sure to mute all of the bad words but during class he is not afraid to say the bad words.
He always ends the week by telling us to “make wise choices.” I always smile when he says this. I really enjoy it when a student from another class walks in and he states their name and asks for a round of applause.
I really do not know how to write about how excellent this man is. I would go get help from the school ERC (English Resource Center) where he spends most of his time. I might try and find another teacher to edit this but I feel that would be an awkward situation for him/her. He just does so many little things that make me so happy. Being near him makes me forget about all of the bad things in life and he is just such an understanding man. I feel as though I do not need 60 mg of Prozac when I am around him. He is the person I would consider my male role model. I would have him be my father role model and see if I could spend time with him to learn from him. He is just so nice and so positive and just all around excellent. Having the chance of a quiz every day after reading to make sure students are not solely relying on Spark notes, but he does not care if students use Spark notes to help their overall understanding of the reading. We determine if we have a quiz when he puts a stick on one of his hands and then he asks “who’s going to gamble today?” Everyone in the class is nervous but giddy all at the same time. I cannot really explain why but everything about him is so great. He has referred to himself as “fat Mr. Hemmelgarn” and understands that he is over-weight but he is trying to do something about it. Everyone likes him. He is the greatest teacher ever. I want him to hand me my diploma when I graduate and I want to have him be the person I base my life on. I really did not plan on growing up with anyone. I planned on living alone in an apartment by myself because I was afraid to get close to anyone. I might actually base my life off of this man because of the great and positive influence he has had on my life. I feel like I would do anything for him. In the least creepy way possible I think I love him. I wish my dad was like him. I wish I had grown up with him. When he was gone for six weeks because of his new baby it was awful. The substitute teacher was awful but him just being gone actually hurt me inside. This man is someone I can say I truly admire, though he will most likely never know that. I just want to thank him for everything he has done even though all he is just being himself. He is not going out of the way to be anyone else he is being his good old honest self and that is something that everyone likes about him. I doubt anyone could dislike him and though I doubt many students feel this strongly about him, I am sure if the students took the time to think about what he has done they would truly admire all of his work. Thank you Mr. Hemmelgarn, I appreciate everything you have and will do for me.