Truly Appreciative - 1/25

Dear Mr. Mann,

You have always been my favorite teacher. I've had teachers in both high school and college that taught subjects I was more interested in, but none have ever challenged and pushed me to do more the way you did. Thank you for that.

I remember you teaching the class how to shake hands properly, having a spirited debate on the flight home from New York City and Washington D.C. about which Rocky movie was best, “building” a factory to produce peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in class, and the way you taught us to organize and write essays, which I used in college and still use to this day.

From time to time through the course of Spectra, you would ask who in the class affiliated themselves with the Democratic Party or the Republican Party. Then, you would ask who did so because that was the way our parents leaned. Throughout my junior year and early in my senior year, I can remember raising my hand that I agreed with my parents. But finally during my senior year, I had learned to analyze the political spectrum in this country and form my own opinions. I will always remember the first time I didn’t raise my hand when you asked who sided

with their parents. To this day, that is one my proudest moments and I have always hoped you noticed me not raising my hand.

I hope this letter finds you and your family well. I have spent the last three years in Nashville, TN, living with Jeff, and working as a Business & Marketing Manager for the United Methodist Publishing House. I am a volunteer youth advisor at my church, attend Vanderbilt basketball games, enjoy playing softball and ultimate Frisbee, and root as hard as ever for my Cubbies.

Thank you for all you did to help me grow during my two years in Spectra and in the years that have followed, I appreciate it more than you know. I was glad to find you on Facebook recently; I look forward to keeping in touch with you.

The usual motive to do well in school is to earn good grades, to prove our own success and to share that success with our parents, and also to compete with our fellow classmates. But in your class, the motives were to show you that we were learning what you were teaching and to not let you down by performing poorly. The world could use more teachers like that.

Truly appreciative,

Brian J. Moles

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Mr. Mann was one of my teachers in high school. He teaches America Spectra, a two-year course that integrates United States History, Government, and Economics. He also taught my brother and sister and they hold him in a similar regard.