Two Teachers

By Nate Feldman

I recently went to a school, and there I had two teachers.  They both taught me well, but they had some unique differences.  

There was Mr. Franklin.  He was very playful in class.  He always taught using games and imagination.  Very often, he would tell stories to the class to learn something valuable and interesting.  He had a great sense of humor and liked to laugh.  At the beginning of class, he asked us what we would want to do for the day, so we decided the type of lesson.

Then, there was his wife, Mrs. Franklin.  Unlike her husband, she wasn't so playful in class.  She always used the book for the lessons and stuck with it strictly.  She could laugh, but she was more serious during lessons.  Also, unlike her husband, she was the decision-maker in the class.  She told us what to do, and we would do it.

The two teachers were so different, but I learned so much from them, and I think they were both amazing.  So, I hope others take lessons with them! 

Reading Comprehension: Multiple Choice

1. What is the main idea of the passage?
A. The writer did not like school
B. The writer compares two very different teachers
C. Mr. Franklin was a better teacher than his wife
D. The writer prefers serious teachers

2. How did Mr. Franklin usually teach his lessons?
A. By following the book strictly
B. By giving many tests
C. By using games, imagination, and stories
D. By lecturing quietly

3. What did Mr. Franklin often do at the beginning of class?
A. He gave homework
B. He chose the lesson himself
C. He asked students what they wanted to do
D. He read from the textbook

4. How was Mrs. Franklin different from her husband?
A. She did not like teaching
B. She was more playful
C. She used games and stories
D. She was more serious and followed the book

5. Who usually made decisions in Mrs. Franklin’s class?
A. The students
B. Mr. Franklin
C. Mrs. Franklin
D. The school principal

6. How does the writer feel about the two teachers?
A. The writer disliked both teachers
B. The writer liked one teacher more than the other
C. The writer learned a lot from both teachers
D. The writer found their classes boring

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Vocabulary Activity

Part A: Match the Words

Match each word to its correct meaning.

1. Playful

2. Imagination

3. Strictly

4. Serious

5. Decision-maker

A. Not joking; focused on work
B. Following rules very closely
C. Someone who chooses what will happen
D. Full of fun and games
E. The ability to create ideas or pictures in your mind

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Part B: Choose the Best Word

Choose the correct vocabulary word to complete each sentence.

6. Mr. Franklin was very __________ and liked to joke with his students.
   A. serious
   B. playful
   C. strict

7. Mrs. Franklin followed the book __________ during her lessons.
   A. playfully
   B. strictly
   C. imaginatively

8. Using stories helped students use their __________.
   A. decisions
   B. seriousness
   C. imagination

Short Writing: Compare two teachers you had.  Were they similar or different?  Use expressions like likewise, similarly, like, unlike, in contrast, on the other hand, and while in your writing.

Example: I had two teachers in high school, Mr. Guisick and Ms. Koontz.  They had some similarities.  Mr. Guisick taught American history, and he knew a lot about the subject.  Mrs. Koontz taught English literature, and like Mr. Guisick, she was very knowledgeable about the subject she taught.  While they taught different subjects, both classes were very interesting, and I still remember a lot of what I learned in that time period.  I can remember Mr. Guisick's lessons about the United States during the early 20th century and the different wars we had and the issues facing our country, like racial discrimination.  Similarly, I remember reading Sheakspeare in Mrs. Koontz's class, especially Hamlet.  So, they were both very useful classes.