The amazingly large article about Cookeville High’s amazingly cool teachers

Senka Hadzimuratovic, Charger Staff

The past two and a half years of high school, I’ve been lucky to have liked all of my teachers-- no major fallouts, none that made me cry--yeah, lucky.
I could never pick a concrete favorite, although I make my spotlight victims do it every time. All of my teachers have their own strengths. There are those you come to with your college applications when you really need that awesome recommendation; those that always know all about your hookups and breakups; the ones that have the wisdom to advise you on all the “hard stuff” like family issues; the ones that really taught you something; the ones you joke around with like you’ve been pals forever; and the ones that just make you smile when you need it the most.

If you’re as fortunate as I am, you have all of these and then some. If not, I’m sure there’s at least one that sticks out-- the one that will be the first to know about your acceptance to college, graduation from that college, the job, the engagement, the wedding, the baby--but also the first to console you when you get that “I’m sorry” letter, fail your first college class, and so on (I like to play the optimist and assume that your lives will be perfect).
So, this time, instead of spotlighting those around me, I’m letting these humble people shine--if you’ve never gotten a chance to take their classes, make it a point to do so. You too may end up with a few good friends.

Note to my past/current teachers: You’re the “and then some.” Don’t shun me if your name’s not on this page!

Arts: Mrs. Hattie Gill
The High School Sweetheart

You know those stereotypical ballet teachers --the Russian ones with the tight hair buns and grim facial expressions named Tretiakovskaia? Yeah, well, you won’t find that here. If you’re looking for a hug or someone to put a smile on your face, however, visit Mrs. Gill! If the smile isn’t enough for you, let her teach you how to move. It is, after all, her profession.

Currently, Mrs. Gill teaches the state dance curriculum for Cookeville High School’s Fine Arts Department. Students can take three levels of dance throughout their high school career, and there is even talk of adding Dance IV.

Mrs. Gill says, “I have a passion for dance and a strong belief in the power dance has to help students attain self-confidence and a sense of accomplishment. I never tire of being a facilitator for the art of dance.”

So, whether you have two left feet or think you’ve got rhythm (looking at Mrs. Gill’s talent may convince you otherwise), take her classes. No grim expressions, no thick-accented Sergios telling you how your every move is absolutely awful. Just a smiling face from someone who wants to share her passion for dance.

English:
Mrs. Rosalie Andrews
The Mom

“Temporary learning is a waste of time.” Anyone who has taken English 9 Honors or Humanities Honors will have heard this quote more times than he can count. The wise words of Rosalie Andrews have stuck with me for almost three years now.

Of course, I can’t say that I remember the details of the Trojan War or every painting by Vermeer, Manet, and Cassatt. Nevertheless, this little lady has taught me (and many others in the past thirty-seven years) more than I thought my brain could hold. Even all of the writing rules that I’m currently breaking with this article.

She’s the teacher you’ll tell your kids about-- actually, the teacher you really wish your kids would have been taught by, too. Who else would explain, when asked what subjects she has taught in the past, that “you don’t teach subjects; you teach students, sharing with them something of what you know?”
As proof that she was born to teach, Mrs. Andrews tries to recall her elementary school days: “I really don’t know when the feeling began. I do remember our house had a huge front porch. I used to line up chairs on it, put my younger siblings (always at my mercy) and other neighborhood kids in the chairs and begin explaining anything I could think of to talk about. I guess teachers just like the sound of their own voice.” (Note to self: Become a teacher.)
She has too many memories as a teacher to pick a favorite, and she continues teaching because “almost every day is an adventure; each class, a challenge; and I get bored easily!”

Mrs. Andrews is passionate about her students and doesn’t let them give up. She’s a teacher you can truly count on and the one that you want to make proud as much as your parents. It’s no surprise that she’s still dominating the favorite teacher category in my student spotlight column--and now you know why.

History:
Mr. Jack Sallee
The MVP

If you’ve ever been lucky enough to take his class, you’ll agree that this guy is the man. He knows his stuff, and history is his “thing.” As it should be--he’s been teaching “since Robert E. Lee was in the first grade!” (Brush up on your war generals if you actually believed that.)

What makes good ol’ Jack so special? Maybe it’s the way he gives you a different nickname on a daily basis. Or throws pennies at the wall while you take a break from his lectures. Or (if you’re lucky enough) when he busts out that banjo for some tunes.

Although all three of these are somewhat regular components of my third block, Mr. Sallee gets the MVP award solely on his ability to trick students into liking this history stuff, maybe even comprehending the material. When asked about his favorite memory as a teacher, he only reinstates what his students all know: “Seriously, I have too many good ones, but watching students learn to think critically has to be tops.”

Mr. Sallee has been teaching at this school since 1966, longer than any other teacher at Cookeville High. How does he do it? Why does he do it? “Most days I get to play broker of ideas, and it is a profession that thus far has not made me conform to a corporate, materialistic mold. It’s more fun to sell ideas than socks. Teaching gives me much autonomy and also a real sense of closure. You get ‘em in the fall, teach ‘em what you can, and they go. Teaching can keep you young and vital, connecting you with the energy and flow of each generation. Basically, without all the BS, I like this job ‘cause it’s fun.”
He’ll make you read, he’ll make you study, he’ll make you think. But it’s all worth it.

Mathematics:
Mrs. Tracy Jones
The Best Friend

You’d think walking into geometry class as one of the only three freshmen would be intimidating. And it was. For about twenty minutes. After that, you realize you get the pleasure of being taught by this amazingly cool being every day for a whole semester sooner than most other students.

Not that that’s enough. She’s so cool (I know I’ve used the word twice now...sue me) that my friends and I seriously would take geometry one more time before we graduate just for the pleasure of this woman’s company.

Let’s face it ...there’s only so much you can do to make math exciting. But with TJ, you’re left with more than just the knowledge of how to prove congruency of angles. Two years later, I’m still coming back to that little corner of the math wing-- although angles aren’t discussed nearly as often as they were back then. Instead, I fill her in on “the scoop.” And I’m not the only one. Plenty of students continue to stop by and give her updates on relationships, scholarships, building ships (you need geometry for that, you know).

Her favorite memories include being chosen as Student Congress Teacher of the Year in 1998 (by the student body, of course), watching her third block try to impress the camera when getting taped by Channel 4 (for another teacher award) last year, and, to no surprise, “all the terrific students I’ve had in the past coming to visit me, e-mailing me from college, or calling me to catch up.”

And she’s not planning on changing professions anytime soon: “The kids are the best part of teaching. I honestly love and enjoy my students. They (and the schedule!) are the reason I continue to teach.”

Cool...because there is no better word for this woman.

Science:
Mr. D.D. Tennant
The Boy

Mr. Tennant likes to hunt. Although I make fun of him for it occasionally, I have this savage (is it not?) hobby to thank for his becoming a teacher. Because of a hunting accident trying to catch that one deer, D.D. injured his back and decided he might as well spend this time getting his education degree. No sane person would climb that high in attempts to hunt down that deer... then again, Mr. Tennant isn’t your average biology teacher.

With Mr. Tennant (known as D.D. to those who’ve had him) every day is an adventure. Sometimes we grow peas--cute and innocent lab work. Other times we gut dead cats. Or spill mercury when the company sends us broken lab thermometers... yes, mercury is deadly. Biology doesn’t get more fun than this.
I’ve never been a science person. But this guy tends to bring it out in me and the rest of his students by mixing things up.

Currently, he’s teaching two AP biology classes as well as one Honors biology course, as he has been doing for almost five years now. He’s also coached baseball and swimming, but now his focus is strictly on his teaching.

Mr. Tennant said, “I can relate to my students because I am still a kid myself. I like to have fun and joke around with my students while at the same time putting some biology in their heads.”

Yeah, he’s a tricky one. But it works. If you get a chance to take his classes, do so. He’ll try and pull this “I’m intimidating” front for a while , but he really is the boy next door.

A kid at heart.