Seventh grade was the light at the end of the tunnel. I was finally emerging from the normal middle school sadness episode. My grades were starting to rise from that C average and I worked on accepting myself at the time. Science was hard for me to understand and I was nervous for the second semester because the school had just gotten a new teacher.

 I will never forget the first day I walked into that room at the end of the hall. Eggshell white walls were covered with the periodic table, scientists, and one distinct John Lennon picture. I found my seat and he began the usual first day speech. Or so I thought… He began with what is acceptable behavior, but when he covered the unacceptable behavior I could hear his voice getting more and more irritated. He then proceeded to grab the stool near him and throw it at the cabinets. The class was in shock and stared at the new teacher wondering who the heck the school hired. Mr. Wagner then looked at the class with a smile emerging, “Bet that got your attention.” 

That moment stuck with me from that day and I knew it was going to be a good class…and it was. He would play us a record everyday to widen our concept of music. Allowing us to take a break from the block class. He kept the class engaged and took the time to compare what we were learning to stuff in the real world and how we would use the material in everyday life. Every week he would have us do CRP or “circle of power and respect” where we would sit in a circle and play a game. Before every game he would pick pairs of people to go in the center, shake hands, and give each other a compliment. Doing something as simple as this taught us the valuable life lesson of greeting others and having genuine conversations. When the class would get off topic he would redirect us. Unless of course it was about things like taxes and adult life in which he would take time to teach us because “It's more important to have you learn about things you will undoubtedly use every day.” 

I appreciate that he got to learn about every single student in the class and check up on them. He is the most engaged teacher I’ve ever had. 

The middle of the semester was a great turning point for me. Being one of the average kids, I was shocked to be called to the back of the class with a small group who got high scores on the pretest. For the first time in a long time, I was proud of myself. I kept this up and worked hard for the rest of that year and into my eighth grade year where my grades soared. It felt good to be getting A’s and B’s and gave myself something to look forward to at school.I know it might have seemed small but what Mr. Wagner did for me and the rest of his students changed us and gave us precious skills to help us in life.