Page 16 - Senior Link Magazine Spring 2018 - Online Magazine
P. 16
HONORING SENIORS
2 2
Senior Senior The
Meanest
Teacher
on Earth
by Mason Byrd
he term Senior Citizen seems the classroom, Ms. Goodwin is the After that first meeting, I would
very inappropriate for this proud mother of her two children: often go to her classroom after
Tindividual. However, when Mrs. Janemarie Vander Dussen, a school. No matter how busy she
asked the question “Who has had victims’ advocate for the 9th Judicial may have been grading papers
a great influence on you?”, I knew District in Clovis, NM, and her son or working on lesson plans, she
I had to write about this loving, David Hilling, a Major in the US would always make time to chat
brilliant teacher and mentor, Ms. Air Force, currently on his third and give advice on whatever was
Nancijane Goodwin Hilling. deployment to Iraq. Ms. Goodwin on my mind. One of my favorite
is also a loving grandmother to her early memories of Ms. Goodwin was
Ms. Goodwin grew up in Clovis, seven grandchildren, five boys and when she became my accomplice
NM, graduated from Eastern New two girls. to stop an annoying teacher from
Mexico University with a Bachelor’s bothering my mom so we could go
degree in Theater, and earned I first met Ms. Goodwin when I was home. While that probably was not
her Master’s in Education, with in the fifth grade, when my mom the smartest idea for either of us,
a Reading Specialist Certification began working at Farwell High we certainly had a good time. I also
from Monmouth University School. At first, I must admit I was learned a valuable lesson, which was
in West Long Branch, NJ. Ms. pretty scared of her because her that even the most sophisticated of
Goodwin has taught school for 28 students would talk about how “she individuals can have fun once in a
years, mostly at the post graduate was the meanest teacher on earth”. while.
and high school levels. She has However, I remember, after meeting
taught at many top institutions her for the first time, I thought, “She Throughout junior high, I looked
across the country including: does not seem so bad; in fact, she forward to being in high school and
Anniston, in Anniston, AL; Ellison seems like a sweet old lady.” I laugh having Ms. Goodwin as my teacher.
High School, in Killeen, TX; West at that now, but my intuition was However, in eighth grade, I learned
Point Preparatory School, Fort correct. She turned out to be very that she would be leaving Farwell,
Monmouth, NJ; Clovis Municipal nice and not the “meanest teacher in to accept a teaching position at
Schools, Clovis, NM; and Farwell the world!” Clovis High School. The Farwell
High School, Farwell, TX. Beyond family was extremely sad to hear
16 Lubbock Senior Link
