I'm going to write about Bryant Kapley. I don't think he would mind if I used his real name.

Mr. Kapley is a nerd. His voice whines and his fashion sense is a little sloppy. He talks and talks and talks even when no one is listening. He wrote his master's on the millenium bug. I wrote him off as a nerd at New Teacher Orientation. Everyone dogs on Mr. Kapley. He hasn't been a very good teacher because he cannot be mean to the kids. But is that so bad? The problem is, you have to be mean to teach at my school.

His experience at school was a nightmare. On time he had about 60 kids in his class, 20 of whom weren't supposed to be there. Kids make fun of him all the time and all he can do is smile. Students turn off the lights in his class and pour rubbing alcohol on him.

He stayed for one grading period. He is quitting and will be gone on Tuesday. He didn't need to come today because it was Teacher Planning Day, but he did anyways. He helped me unwrap shrinkwrapped textbooks in boxes for 3 hours. He talked and talked and talked, but he had some things to say. He talked about the students, and how in the end it was they who lost out. Perhaps he was not a great teacher, but those children treated him horribly. He is a nice man. He talked about being ashamed of his father's lack of education and about coming to realize that he had so much to learn from him. His views on the Holocaust, Gay Rights, and slavery were thought provoking as well. I left him for an hour to meet some furniture being delivered to my house and he kept stickering the World History textbooks. I worked in my room for awhile and he stayed in the storage room stickering textbooks. It was a huge help.

Teaching is not for everyone but you are not a failure if you can't do it. Mr. Kapley is a genius. He is simply too smart, and perhaps too nice to be at a place like my school. I wish him luck.-