Simply put, Dirk Schulze of Lake Braddock Secondary School is one of the most outstanding and inspiring high school AP Literature teachers. He always paces around the classroom when talking. His voice is often described as soothing, for it is deep, composed of patience and a fatherly tone. His shockingly blue eyes look on us with kindness and knowledge. When he strolls between desks and chairs, his head is bent down and his hands are often in his pockets, a sign that he is deep in thought about what to say to the class next.
In his childhood, Schulze told us, he read a book on weird-but-true facts. One of these facts was that toenail clippings contain a small amount of gold, and one day technology may be able to extract it. So, ever since then, Schulze said, he has kept his toenail clippings in a little box.
“And in the future,” he told us, “when scientists are able to figure out how to get the gold out of toenail clippings, I’ll be rich.” Everyone smiled awkwardly, wanting to laugh but afraid to hurt his feelings if he was being serious. Then he exclaimed, “I’m kidding! You were all judging me! No, I don’t collect my toenail clippings in a box! C’mon!” We all laughed in relief and class resumed.
This was the first time the class realized what a comedian Schulze could be. It changed our impression of him as a basically serious man, and we began to see the humorous side of him that would make us smile. It is rare to find a class in which the teacher makes you laugh so heartily, and we were lucky to have one.
Before taking this literature course, I found Shakespeare difficult and dull. But when Schulze guided us through “Hamlet,” I finally understood why the Bard is considered a literary genius.
I remember how Schulze made me feel when he discussed the tragic life of Hamlet. Schulze talks with passion and emotion. He uncovers themes and meaning, and when he reveals things we hadn’t noticed, it seems so obvious that we feel silly. When reading “Hamlet,” we realized that there is so much more to literature than just words. There is emotion and profundity. Through reading Shakespeare, Schulze has taught me what it means to be an author. It is not about creating an interesting story, but about finding a story that means something to someone, whether the author, the reader, or even the entire world. Any improvement I have made in reading and writing, I owe an immense credit to Schulze.
Schulze once lived with a roommate, and every weekend they would ride their bikes to the grocery store and buy whatever would fit in their backpacks. When standing in line at the store, Schulze was behind a woman who was buying staple groceries (eggs, bread, milk) and a bag of Doritos. She was taking a while to pay because she was using government aid coupons. The man behind Schulze in line, who was getting impatient, said, “Can you believe that? My tax dollars are going to her so she can buy Doritos.”
Schulze said to the class, “C’mon. Her kids probably begged her for those Doritos. They probably thought, Other kids get them … why can’t we?”
Schultze has a good heart, and I consider myself lucky to know him. He is a good person and an exceptionally good teacher. He has taught me much more than can be summed up in this essay. He has taught me how to write with my own unique voice and how to read critically and ask the questions that he states every class: “So what? Why does it matter?” He is a teacher who emulates respect, humor, and thoughtfulness, and who keeps class entertaining, whether through serious discussion or humorous stories.
When reading, I have been taught to understand the intent of the author. One of the most important pieces of advice I could pass on to Schulze’s future students is to assume intent of the teacher, because everything Schulze says in class has a purpose, whether it be to make us laugh or to make us think. Everything Schulze says means something, and often times I find myself not only learning about English, but also about humanity and morality. Schulze is a teacher of life lessons that we students will take with us to our graves. The most important thing I believe Schulze has taught me is the importance of humility. He is a humble person who does not hold others in contempt or judgment.
I believe that the example Schulze sets for us by just being himself has been his strongest method of teaching. This is why I believe Schulze should be honored as Educator of the Year. It is not because he wants to be, nor is it because he necessarily needs to be. From the perspective of one of his students, Dirk Schulze should be Educator of the Year because he deserves to be.