Teaching Tennis

My family emigrated to America from Holland when I was nine. My siblings and I were active in many sports and excelled in them while we were learning English. In college, I chose to study to be a teacher and imitate the teachers who had given me confidence and direction. I have been a teacher for 30+ years and have taught all levels and many teachers. I find that passionate teachers are invested in their students' learning as much as in their subject. One of my fondest memories is a parent who told me that her son had chosen to be a pastor and credited me with inspiring him to serve. After sharing my faith testimony with my 9th graders, their responses were that I should speak in chapel; then they organized themselves to clean up the campus to show an example of Christ-like leadership. Some of the finest compliments ever given me were the student teachers assigned to me from Fresno State after my students had repeatedly scored the highest in the district on the STAR tests. Through Fresno Pacific, I get to work with teachers and share their experiences and stories.