The One for Mr. Viar

 

Few teachers have had a bigger impact on me personally and professionally than Dr. Paul Viar. Much of the teacher I am today, I owe to him.

I had no idea of that impact when I slunk into his 7:00 AM Biology I class on the first day of my sophomore year of high school at Forest Lake Academy.  Not only did I have no intention of becoming a teacher, I lacked the skills I needed to be even be a good student!  

I had always earned top grades.  School had been easy for me. I had never really had to "study."  I read the book, took the test, got an A. Simple.  Well, all that was about to change.

I was stunned when the first F on a test came back.  What happened?  I was doing what I'd always done--I read the book, I took the test.  Granted, the test had not seemed as familiar as I was used to but an F? I continued to struggle, barely scraping by the first semester with a D- in the class. It took me that first semester to figure out how to really be a student and it was Mr. Viar with his high standards and rigorous instruction that taught me.  I learned to listen in class (not just read the book) and take detailed notes. I learned the value of finishing work on time--even early---but never late.   And I learned how to study.  All of this, I learned from Mr. Viar along with so much more.  The secrets of biology and anatomy and physiology came alive to me in his classroom.  We went bird watching at his direction and followed him on an adventurous rain-soaked trip to the Keys our junior year.  By senior year, I was in good shape in Mr. Viar's class and was even able to indulge in talking all through class to my friend and lab partner Chandra. Well, for a little while anyway, until Mr. Viar pulled us aside for a stern talking to--after that we limited our communication to writing notes.  We weren't mad at Mr. Viar for reprimanding us though--we both had a deep respect and admiration for him and we wanted to make him proud.

I carried the lessons Mr. Viar taught into college where I sailed through A & P.  And when I entered my own classroom only a few years later, I leaned heavily on his example.  I had no idea what I was doing, but I knew what a good teacher looked like. While I found my footing, I simply mimicked the best teacher I'd ever had.  No-nonsense, high standards, serious business. Even today, now that I've been teaching as long as Mr. Viar had been during our senior year, he remains my role model.

At the end of my 2007 tribute to Mr. Viar as one the most influential people in my life, I noted that I needed to write another letter to him letting him know of his impact on my teaching (I'd written a thank you note to him in college).  I wish now that I'd actually done it. 

For now I look forward to the day when I'll see him again and I'll tell him all about it then.  Until then, rest well Mr. Viar. Your legacy lives on in my classroom, in my students, and in countless others too.

From the Colorado ski trip our senior year: From L to R: Geri Haupt, Dr. Paul E. Viar, and Chandra Maloney. Hard to believe two of the three in this photo are gone. When I first heard that Mr. Viar had passed, the first person I wanted to call was Chandra.  If there are ski slopes in heaven we'll have to have the three of them recreate this classic pic when we all get there.