Mr. Glover teaches my journalism class, probably one of the most relaxed classes I have ever taken. Despite that, at first, I really did not want to be in journalism. As I realized that I wanted to come to class, Mr. Glover’s religious devotion to the incredible benefits of literature began to change my attitude. It’s not just about the material, though. The man is what makes the class special. He wears flannels to school almost every day and he always has lots of energy, even when we don’t . Every day before we start class Mr. Glover will say the same thing: “If you’re having a bad day, my heart goes out to you, and I hope it gets better.” That simple phrase has motivated me, both in and out of the class.

It usually isn’t quiet in Mr. Glover’s room, which I have no problem with, but sometimes makes him a little mad, especially when I’m in Mr. Glover’s 6th period with over 30 students. My favorite time at the end of the school day with Mr. Glover is never quiet, no matter how much Mr. Glover tries. Someone is always talking during 6th period, and it’s all down to the welcoming and friendly atmosphere that he’s created in his classroom. The consensus in the class is that Mr. Glover’s teaching style is helpful and easy to comprehend. I think that he’s a fantastic teacher and I’m fortunate that he teaches two of my classes.

When Mr. Glover was in high school, though, he didn’t have the same benefits.

I’m definitely not a reader by nature, but his consistent positive attitude has me thinking that Mr. Glover has been a bookworm for his entire life. That’s not the way his story goes, though. After I spoke with him, I learned that he often struggled in the subject that he now teaches every day, settling for Cs and Ds. What inspired him to dive headfirst into this passion after the difficult experience he’d had with it in high school? How could someone go from having poor grades in high school to being a teacher who loves books?

He didn’t get the chance to work with a teacher during his high school career that captured his interest in the way that he’s done for the students of West Seattle, and his grades displayed the same.  He graduated from his high school, but those missed chances translated into his inability to pursue the programs he believed would truly further his education. However, when he attended college at the University of Montana he had a professor who helped him and got him hooked on books and reading. That experience changed his attitude and fortunes, and he went on to get his teaching certificate in English.

While interviewing Mr. Glover, I learned a lot of things, one being that just because you get bad grades in high school doesn’t mean that your life is over, and it doesn’t mean that you can’t go to college or do anything with your life. It just means that you’ve got an opportunity to make a change in your habits.

When Mr. Glover was in college and trying to write English papers, he often had to look up the correct grammatical format of a sentence because he didn’t know where to put the commas, and after he got a D on an exam he went to his professor. The professor told him that he should pursue another degree, but all Mr. Glover wanted to do was to be an English major. So, he kept trying. He doubled down and took copious notes on everything his professor said. This time, he remembered it, and on his next exam he got a B+. He’d hit his stride, seeing A’s on many of his following papers. 

It’s obvious that Mr. Glover’s turnaround didn’t happen overnight, but his story puts so much of his teaching into context. He knows exactly how to deal with the kids who want nothing to do with school because he was one. He’s the inspiration for those kids, those students who can’t yet find the reason to follow their dreams.