Fenwick vs. Felicity
Students earn scholarships
Minster vs. Southeastern
Book Nook provides readers with insights into the world of books. Vick Mickunas takes you into the center of the publishing world with the latest book buzz, book reviews, and exclusive chats with authors..Home > Blogs > Book Nook > Archives > 2008 > February > 15 > Entry
this teacher changed my life
I’ll never forget her. She was a Dominican nun. Sister Ellen Clare. My third grade teacher. She loved words. She had a passion for language.
She taught us some BIG words. I still remember most of them….words like PREVARICATE….PROCRASTINATE…DEBRIS… Heady stuff for children. I loved it!
Sister taught us that there are millions of words and we could never know them all but, if we started early, and worked hard, we might learn some of them.
She was from Dubuque. Sister inspired me to read the dictionary. I loved it! I thought of her today. I got an advance copy of READING THE OED- One Man, One Year, 21,730 Pages (Perigee/June 2008) by Ammon Shea.
Shea read the entire Oxford English Dictionary. This book describes the joys he experienced by doing so-the words that stopped him cold: Gulchin-a little glutton…Happify-to make happy….Hypergelast-a person who will not stop laughing…Interdespise-to hate someone, as they hate you….. I love it!
Sister would have loved it…..
And it reminded me of that wonderful third grade teacher of mine, Sister Ellen Clare. She changed my life-for the better.
Did you ever had a teacher like her? Someone who made a lasting impact? Share your story with our readers.
Vick Mickunas
Permalink | Comments (3) | Categories: secret passions
Comments
By victor mickunas
February 17, 2008 2:41 PM | Link to this
Sister Ellen Clare inspired me to love vocabulary, words, language, literature. I never thought for a moment about teaching when I was in her class? She taught me to love learning. That was key. Still is.By Riverdale Ghost
February 16, 2008 6:08 PM | Link to this
Sadly, my third grade teacher generated a firm vow in me to never become a teacher. She wasn’t a nun and maybe in some cases that makes a difference. Or, maybe you were a teacher’s pet.By lmj
February 15, 2008 9:59 PM | Link to this
Sister Magdalena was my Biology teacher. She realized that I was contributing to and prepared for class yet was always flunking the tests. (This prior to 94-142.) She started “visiting” me during tests and would just say a few words to relieve my test anxiousness.