…would be Mr. Banton, my 11th and 12th grade IBH English teacher, (International Baccalaureate Higher Level English). He was animated, personable, sarcastic and found ways to help his students look at literature in new and obscure ways. Mr. Banton is one of the reasons I love writing. We would go on writing weekends at Bard College to spend two full days in writing workshops with our English teachers. Only a small group of students were able to go and it was such a liberating experience living in the vacant dorms, the silence of the forest around us and the clean crisp snow on the ground. I can still hear my footsteps crunching through the snow as we walked between the dormitory and the classrooms. Mr. Banton never judged, he critiqued, he made us love literature and the written word.
Hi Jeannie,
I’m not sure how to contact him now. I heard he retired a number of years ago. Any suggestions?
-Stacy
What a beautiful thing to write about a teacher. Have you ever thought about contacting him and telling him?
Hi, Stacy,
I love your story because Mr. Banton was a great teacher who mastered his subject matter well. He exhibited expertise in his subject that he taught and spent his time which continued to gain new knowledge in his field with his students’. He presented his materials in an enthusiastic manner and instilled a hunger in his students to learn more on their own. Great story!
Yvette