When walking into his class it is organized chaos, but the most beautiful things come from chaos.
Michael Dunn is one of the most valuable teachers that Lakeland High School (LHS) has.
But before he became the teacher we know today he was a journalist for the Sheridan Press. A newspaper in Sheridan, Wyoming, Dunn’s home state. However, he switched because the salary he was acquiring was not working for him. Now he shares his interests and knowledge with his students.
Here at LHS Dunn teaches English concepts, Intro to Photography, Journalism, and Yearbook. Within those classes he teaches beyond the subject.
“Honestly sometimes this class is the only reason I go to school,” Maya Keck, a journalism student, said.
Michael Dunn has been teaching for six years. He began his career as a substitute teacher. He then switched to being a teacher full-time himself.
This is where his legacy began.
Teachers sometimes do not notice how much of an impact they have on their students’ lives.
I have been in Dunn’s class for two years and he is personally one of my favorite teachers. In journalism he gives us the freedom and opportunity to learn how to think outside the box and work through tasks in our own way. However, he does not fail to be there when the students need a question answered or need help with something.
He may be harsh on grading our work but it is only because he has his students’ best interest at heart.
The biggest lesson that is learned in his classroom is that failure is okay.
He teaches his students that it is acceptable to fail and to learn from it instead of being upset with us for not doing our best. This may seem small and something teachers should teach anyways but it really isn’t. This lesson is so underrated because as teenagers, especially in school, for most failure is the number one fear.
Not only does he teach us that failure is necessary but also to have fun when we are doing his assignments.
This is something unique that he could not stress enough. Dunn wants us to succeed more than anything but not only does he want that, but also wants us to enjoy the journey to success.
Dunn’s classes are anything but normal. From his random rules, to the way he teaches, to the way he connects with the students.
He has few rules within his classroom, however, there are some he stands firm on.
The first one is not having students pass the line he has by his door waiting for the bell to ring, when students do this instead of nicely asking for people to move away from the door, he yells “read the flow chart!” and when experiencing this for the first time you may think Dunn is off his rocker but this is just an average day for his students.
The second one is not raising your hand. He does not like when students raise their hands, which is something as a student we are taught from kindergarten.
The last one, and funniest one is not making eye contact with him when you are eating. Not only does he make this a rule, but he also will call you out in front of the whole class to embarrass you so you do not do it again. He then makes the situation more awkward than it already is.
However, without these funny antics, Dunn would not be the teacher we have all come to love.
He may be strange, but he never fails to make getting to know his students a priority. He is always ready to ask his students questions about an upcoming game, event, or even just how they’re doing.
Not only does he try to connect with students but he also tries to understand them.
There have been times where I have been having a rough day and Dunn has helped me look at the brighter side of things. He does not want to go against us but instead, walk with us.
His classroom is like a safe space to his students. He wants to hear our opinions instead of shutting us down.
I know that when I walk into his class I can breathe, it is a very light hearted space. When being in high school, finding a place that you feel comfortable can make a huge difference. For many of Dunn’s students that is how his class is.
Not only does he offer a helping hand to us but also makes us feel cared for. He is always there to talk to about anything. Yet, he holds us to high standards as most teachers do. He knows what we can do and he expects the best from us.
“Mr. Dunn is the one teacher I never want to disappoint, he is my inspiration,” Bailey Elliott said.
Dunn holds us to such high standards because he believes in us. For some of his students, Dunn is the teacher that keeps them going. Like Elliott said, she would be heartbroken if he told her that he was disappointed in her or the work that she did.
He may not notice it but he is a role model for various students in this school. Personally, I look up to Dunn just because of the person he is.
He is a one in a million kind of teacher.
If I ever become a teacher I would want to be just like Dunn. Not many students know him as their teacher but simply the friendly face they see standing outside his room. No matter if you are a student of his or not he’s got your back because that is just the type of teacher he is.
“He brings such a high and positive energy to the classroom or anywhere that he is,” Rebekah Lewis said.
This is true because he brings such a light into his room. He is the reason his classroom is the way it is. If you take Dunn out of his class the character would be gone.
Dunn has two younger daughters which adds so much empathy to his personality.
“Dunn radiates girl dad,” Lewis said.
I think that part of the reason he does this is because he thinks, if my daughters were in this situation how would I want it to be handled.
“He is so understanding and empathetic,” Lewis said.
Although he is all of those things he also has a fun spirit. He loves playful banter with his students and sarcastic remarks. This is one of the ways he makes connections with his students. He makes funny jokes and teases the students which adds such an airy feel to the room.
He is one of those teachers who you can always count on to make you laugh.
Not only can he make others smile but he also usually has a smile on his own face. He even puts a smile on his face when he is stressed to the max. Dunn is a jack of all trades which can become a little demanding in his classes. However, he always does his best in being there for his students. I have never met a teacher like Dunn and there will never be another like him.
As Dunn would say,
“Go, Fight, Win.”
