Hello all,

His name was Al Ravnik…..7th grade math teacher…and not particularly good at it, just ok….funny haircut to boot…BUT, with more GUTS than any man I have ever met…will NEVER forget him, and I’ll tell you why…

You see, he was a stutterer….painfully so…the kind where you want to complete his sentences, but if you had any class you didn’t…just waited.

Why the bravest?…Can YOU imagine standing in front of a class of 13 yr olds with a serious speech impediment….where your JOB is to speak!? I marveled on a daily basis….and what really struck me was….there NEVER was a smirk, a giggle, a snide comment…nothing like that…by ANY of us…either IN class OR out. It simply was accepted that THIS was a class guy…without it ever being said….we NEVER ever talked about it.

Always thought my classmates and I were special because we RECOGNIZED the effort and guts….then, one day…several years ago…I mentioned this story to my brother. He’s 6 yrs older…and he told me that not only had he had Mr Ravnik for the same class…but related the EXACT SAME STORY of he and his classmates. Remarkable!

It has been said that kids are cruel…I have never believed that…kids ARE ignorant…and THAT is fixable… I’ve seen and heard of a capacity for understanding, compassion, and recognition of witnessing something special…..that some don’t give kids credit for. It is people like Mr Ravnik that, through sheer guts and perseverance, show the way.

Nope, the SPECIAL one here was HIM…he taught me oh so much more than the math I’ve forgotten…he taught me (us) the important stuff in life…and strictly by example.

Mr Ravnik…gone…but DEFINITELY not forgotten…God Bless…

Best,

Jon

Great story!

There are people who cross our paths in life, that teach us things that simply cannot be learned from books and pages.  Sounds like Mr. Ravnik was one of those rather unique and special teachers in the class of life.

Great story.

*hugs*
Cat

Those kids that never said anything... and YOU for telling us this with so much heart-felt emotion...you guys are the heros also.

Thank you for reminding us that there are so many great teachers and human beings out there, Jon.

you also learned perspicacity from him.  Now you can improve your vocabulary too! :D  (If I spelled it right ;D)

Great story Jon.  BTW, how are you doing?  haven't had an update in a while.

Jerry

What a nice story....... thank you!

Jeannie

A great story.

I can relate to it a bit as when I was in 7th grade I couldn't finish my sentences either. Would that we had such good kids back then.

Charlie