A teacher changed my life — now I want to do that for others

I’m student teaching now, which means my days are about learning to walk as a teacher, while also thinking about my practice, craft, and studies. It’s natural for me to think about role models — those teachers who really made a difference in my life.

That’s easy. Jan Mandell was the one teacher who made a huge impact on my success. She was my theater teacher at St. Paul Central High School who made the difference between my staying in school or dropping out. When she retired after decades in the district, students came to honor her. Each said a similar thing: “If it wasn’t for Jan, I would have dropped out.”

In her early days of teaching, the administration would send the “troubled” kids to her. Eventually students were able to choose her acting class or not. Many happily chose her as a teacher like I did for all four years of high school.