Day 168 – Write and thank your most influential teacher

My physics teacher in high school was Mr. Charles Emmert. He was an awful man. He was hands down the worst teacher I ever had. So I decided to write to him and let him know. Here’s the letter I sent:

Hello, Mr. Emmert.

I don’t know if you remember me, but my name is Nate Duke. I graduated from NHS in 1997. I had you for physics my junior year. Since then, I graduated from Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota with a double degree in Communications and Music. I am currently working with autistic children.

I went to a physics demonstration a few weeks ago. The speaker was a physics professor from the University of Minnesota. He gave a great presentation about rockets, space travel, and hovercrafts. I absolutely loved the demonstration, and it made me interested in physics again.

And that got me thinking about my physics class at Noblesville High School. I really liked science until your class. You were the absolute worst teacher I ever had. In fact, you totally turned me off to science. After going to this physics demonstration, I realized that it wasn’t physics that I disliked, but you. I think that anyone would agree that a teacher who makes the student hate the subject is a bad teacher.

I talked to my mother about this, and she said that in my entire K-12 career you were the one and only teacher who ever had anything bad to say about me. I asked many of my friends and acquaintances about you and your teaching. Not a one disagreed with me.

So, I’m just writing to thank you for being the worst teacher I’ve ever had, and thank you for killing science for me for so many years.

I hope you rot in hell.
Nate Duke ’97

If/when he writes back, I’ll be sure to post it.

Points earned: 3
Total points: 428

Here’s a great Neil Hamburger joke from last night.
Q: why did dick cheney shoot harry whittington in the face?
A: it was in retaliation for the biggie smalls murder.