Of the many teachers at Forest Grove High School, Dr. Crabtree is one of the best.
Dr. Crabtree is one of the few teachers I’ve encountered who cares passionately for his students. Teachers show they care in different ways, but only some of those gestures truly touch someone’s heart. Students’ main influences in their lives are their parents, but when those parental figures don’t give them the attention they might need, a close second influence is teachers. Teachers can greatly impact students’ lives with the things they say or do. Throughout my time in the Forest Grove school district, I’ve only had a few teachers ask me personal questions about my life or if I’m doing okay when I seem upset.
It’s not a requirement for teachers to do these things or to try and connect deeply with students, but the ones that do, you can tell they truly enjoy what they do and care for the students they look after. Dr. Crabtree was one of the few teachers who would ask me almost every morning if I was doing okay when he saw me. Freshman and sophomore years were very hard for many people. Some were freshly out of COVID, others just weren’t quite sure how to handle how they felt, and I was a mixture. Sometimes small gestures like “Are you ok?” can make people feel special and heard.
I might be biased when I say biology is one of my favorite subjects. I usually enjoyed every lesson but had a hard time focusing or retaining information during those two years; my mind felt like it was in a different reality. But every time I retook a test or answered a question wrong, I never felt judged, and when I got questions right, I felt great about myself. He gives off a certain feeling, like someone proud of you even for something you deem meaningless.
Even the extremely small things, like remembering my name after 2 years felt special. No teachers remembered who I was after not being in their classes for a while. Only the ones I talked to often remembered me; I did not talk to Dr. Crabtree often.
Some teachers, I have trouble connecting with. They are too friendly or loud, which can make some people try to recede into a shell out of discomfort or fear. Some are too monotonous, and I felt no feelings towards their personalities because, from what I saw, they didn’t have one strong enough for me to relate to or understand.
Dr. Crabtree is a nice mix of these. He is mellow but full of life as well, making it easier to communicate with him. You can see his reactions to what you say, so there is no uncertainty or discomfort, but he does not react incredibly strongly or too mildly.
All of these characteristics make him a good fit for many people who are like me. I would recommend taking his classes, trying to talk to him, and trying to let him know he means something to many students who need support sometimes.
