Describe a memorable teacher you have had. How was he/she special for you?

I've had many great teachers, but my first memorable instructor was my fifth grade teacher, Mr. Hazelwood. Mr. Hazelwood was my first male teacher, and he had a great impact on me, in part because of what he taught me about the world, but mostly because of what he taught me about myself.
I liked Mr. Hazelwood from the first day. He was not young, but he was cool. Unlike my previous teachers, he didn't have to prove himself, make demands, or threaten his students to maintain order; he didn't treat us like children. In Mr. Hazelwood's class I felt like I was respected, and I wanted to give him back the same respect. I remember being so amazed the first time he stood up and walked out of class without warning. We were working, and most of the kids didn't notice, but even when they did, no one started any trouble. I think everyone felt like I did, that this teacher expected us to behave, and so we did.
Mr. Hazelwood always made me feel smart and special. We would be doing something in class, and he would call me back to his desk and tell me some interesting fact or story that wasn't part of the regular lesson. I felt like he was letting me in on some secret. In retrospect, he probably did this with all of his students, but at the time it seemed like I was getting special treatment, and I learned to think much more positively about myself and my abilities as a student.
And we learned cool stuff. We watched history and science films on those ancient reel to reel projectors. We built bridges with Popsicle sticks. We took batteries, steel wool, and insulated wire outside and made fire. Then of course there was sex ed. "This guy knows everything," I thought, sitting attentively in the front row. He got me into a special math class, and twice a week I would go to the cafeteria with one other kid and some sixth graders to study algebra and trigonometry. With just a little encouragement, it seemed like there was nothing I couldn't do.
My favorite time in Hazelwoods class though was after lunch. We would all come in sweaty and tired from the playground, and he would stand in the back of the class, his elbow resting on his file cabinet by his desk, and read to us for twenty minutes or so. Everyone was silent. It was great to hear his voice. In that year we heard the entire Chronicles of Narnia and several other books. I fell in love with reading, a gift that has stayed with me forever.
One time some cool looking high school kids came by our class. They stopped in just to say hello to Mr. Hazelwood. He greeted them like friends and talked to them for a while. I remember thinking, when I'm old and in high school, I'll come back to Mr. Hazelwood's class and thank him for being such a great teacher, but I never got the chance. I moved away in the ninth grade and never saw him again. Thanks Mr. Hazelwood, you were a great teacher.