May 6th, 2015

Ask A Cartoonist: Teachers’

by Countess Tea

This week is Teacher Appreciation Day!  So our cartoonists would like to take a moment to thank all the hard-working teachers that inspire us and encourage us from preschool up through adulthood. You’re all very special and we couldn’t be where we are today without you! 

I was lucky enough to have two very influential teachers growing up. They were both art teachers. One was a high school teacher who helped stretch my imagination. The other was a private art teacher who taught me for about 7 years. She helped me hone my skills. Together, they gave me a well-rounded artistic education and they both encouraged me to go on to study art in college (illustration and art history). So, yes, they’re to blame for all this.

–Terri Libenson, The Pajama Diaries

In my life, I have been blessed to have a lot of wonderful teachers who have encouraged my creativity and my desire to be a cartoonist. A great teacher can have a lifelong impact on a child. The children of Hootin’ Holler are really blessed to have a teacher like, Miz Prunelly, even though I am sure they think otherwise. She really puts up with a lot from the students, especially Jughaid!

  

–John Rose, Barney Google and Snuffy Smith

Since Mr. Ketcham declared that Dennis will always be five-ana-half, he will be a perpetual “kindergartner”.  Therefore, we never draw the same teacher twice…they couldn’t tolerate the little menace forever.

–Marcus Hamilton, Dennis the Menace

My very best teachers were in high school. There was one, Deanna Douglass, who was very clear that you had to be on time for class and you had to have your paper in on time. No excuses. She was a brilliant teacher of the material, but what I remember most of the philosophy class is her philosophy that we were accountable.

 

–Hilary Price, Rhymes With Orange

My high school English teacher, Mrs. Jeanne Parrish, passed away this past January. She was 96. Last year I was fortunate enough to spend a day with her when I was visiting my old home town in Florida. I loved her very much. One day in class so many years ago she had passed back tests that she had graded. She had given me an “A” but I deserved a “B”. After class I took my test back to her and pointed out her mistake. She said “I’ll never forget you, Buddy”. She never did. Here we are at my 50th reunion

–Bud Grace, The Piranha Club

In “Safe Havens” Dave is dyslexic, and during high school his tutor Ms. Callowood helped him develop coping skills.

 

–Bill Holbrook, Kevin & Kell, On the Fastrack, and Safe Havens

I had the best teacher in my senior high school French class…Madame Blasco. She was so upbeat and friendly and the entire class loved her. Her husband was transferred to Ottawa mid-year and we couldn’t believe she was leaving. The girls in my class all took her out dancing to a local bar before she left. (at that time, Ontario had a fifth year in high school so we were all legal drinking age) It was so much fun. We really missed her during the second semester. She just made coming to class a pleasure.

–Sandra Bell-Lundy, Between Friends

I recently took a class of 8-9 year olds and taught them how to draw superheroes. It was great fun, but also exhausting and gave me an enhanced appreciation of what teachers do every school day.

This cartoon ran in a teaching magazine in Australia:

–Alex Hallatt, Artic Circle