What is a good teacher? Is it the person who went to school the longest? Could it be the one who connects with the students on a personal level? The best definition of a good teacher is a person who cares about their students in and out of the classroom. For me, that teacher would be an English teacher: Mr. Andy Freeburg. Mr. Andy Freeburg is, in my opinion, the finest of our public educators. Mr. Freeburg is a free-spirited teacher and a person the students can trust. He is not only a creative educator, but he is also a friend to his students. Mr. Freeburg is the only teacher I have encountered who does not need to push his students to succeed; his positive attitude and willingness to listen is all the motivation the students need.

It didn’t take long for Mr. Freeburg to get me to enjoy his class. From the view of a teenager, I saw another authority figure. Once I sat down, I naturally began to fade in and out of focus. However by the end of the period, I was wide awake and listening to his every word. His enthusiasm and excitement was contagious. I remember entering the room dreading the class, but as I left, I couldn’t wait for sixth hour to begin again the next day.

One contribution Mr. Freeburg has made in the classroom is the Pain Paper. The Pain Paper is the first major assignment of the year, exclusively for Mr. Freeburg’s English class. We relive our most painful experiences and write them down to present to the class. This assignment is easy for most of the students because it’s something the students have lived and enjoy talking about.

I have gone from the typical misunderstood teenager who dreads school, to an optimistic student who enjoys being in English. Mr. Freeburg has changed my perception of school and I am glad to have this free-spirited teacher and person who students can relate to.