My Favorite Teacher Is ...

"You must be a woman of great patience," she said upon meeting my fiance for the first time earlier this year.

That's Mrs. Lent, my 12th grade English teacher, still shooting straight as ever. Didn't matter that I'm a decade out of high school, or that we were in church for my nephew's Christening; the honesty of Claire Lent always finds a way to put me in my place.

That's Mrs. Lent, my favorite teacher. She respected her students as individuals in a way that classes worked together toward a common goal rather than being shepherded along a standardized syllabus. She challenged us as we challenged her -- and then some.

Her honesty, while blunt, was refreshing and effective. With a sharp tongue and wise words, Mrs. Lent taught us lessons about life, literature and the pursuit of happiness. In my case, she helped me understand that doing things my way doesn't have to mean being defiant. (Obviously, this is a lesson I'm still learning.)

In some ways, she's still teaching us all. That much was clear when a handful of us from that 12th grade English class got together for a wedding. Engineers, a writer and some kind of scientist, it took less than a sentence to transport our conversation back to Mrs. Lent's classroom at Clinton High, to the lessons we learned and how they helped us get here.

That's Mrs. Lent, my favorite teacher.

Today, May 7, is National Teacher Day, according to the National Education Association. In honor of this day, we ask you to share your stories about your favorite teacher. Or, we ask that you shine the light on a remarkable teacher in town. Share your stories in the comment section below.