Teacher Stories

Brian Rankin's high school physics teacher lies on a bed of nails. He then places a cinder block on his chest and asks Brian to smash it with a sledge hammer -- all to demonstrate a key physics principle to his students. Brian is now a physicist using laser technology to solve real-world problems.

John Lescroart is a New York Times best-selling novelist who says that he might be still be a typist in a law office--or, possibly, homeless were it not for his English teacher, Father Stadler at Junipero Serra High School in San Mateo, California.

TeacherStories.org celebrates teachers and the important role they play in our lives and communities.

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Bob Futernick, former Associate Director of the San Francisco Fine Arts Museums, sends a thank you note to his high school art teacher -- 50 years after taking his class.

TeacherStories.org celebrates teachers and the important role they play in our lives and communities.

Please share this story with your friends!

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What happens when one teacher helps a student see that education—and a different future—truly belong to her?

In this moving episode, Nikki Ahrenstorff honors Gary Childs II, the high school English teacher who changed the direction of her life.

Nikki grew up amid poverty, housing instability, violence, and hunger. With little academic support at home, she struggled in school and came to believe she was “stupid” and did not matter. Even after learning to read, she felt like an outsider in a world of education that seemed reserved for other people.

Everything changed in Mr. Childs’ classroom. He welcomed Nikki into every conversation, listened closely, and treated her thoughts and experiences as valuable. Through literature and writing, he helped her discover that she had a voice, a place at the academic table, and the ability to shape her future.

Inspired by the belonging she experienced in his classroom, Nikki became a high school English teacher herself. She later returned to student-teach with Mr. Childs and was eventually hired to teach in the classroom next to his.

Mr. Childs then reflects on the example set by his own father and the importance of creating classrooms where every student can be themselves, feel safe, and succeed.