It must be instinctive that when asked to reflect on my years in the classroom I immediately conjure up a roster of the great students I have taught. Looking at the hundreds of college recommendation letters written over the years, I see that there are plenty of candidates for my "all-star team".

Certainly my science-teaching career has been enriched by teaching students that are the products of caring, thoughtful parents and a supportive school district. Yet it is the influence of Madison teachers I worked with and learned from that occupies most of my thinking as I contemplate retirement.

• I learned about generating a classroom atmosphere of enthusiasm from Paul DuVair and Frank Zuerner. Their students seemed to absorb the wonder about the natural world from these fine science teachers.
• I tried to establish an environment of encouragement for all students like Tom Ellenbecker and Jim Hein did so genuinely. Emulating the tone they established in their classrooms gave me license to challenge my students with difficult science material.
• I learned from George Bulovsky that taking science teaching seriously without taking myself too seriously would lead to a more satisfying career.
• Carl Horstmeyer and Art Camosy gave me insight into the integrity of science that pervaded every lesson I taught.
• Their influence gave context to the commitment to curriculum design I learned from LeRoy Lee, Van Valasky and Gary Graper. Learning a more professional way to think about what to teach and how to teach it gave a new focus to my career.

In anticipating my retirement, I'm reminded of the farmer who owned a mule. He tried to enter that mule in the Kentucky Derby every year and every year the mule was denied. Finally, a race official asked the farmer why he persisted in trying to enter the mule in a race with thoroughbreds. It didn't stand a chance of winning. The farmer replied that he knew that the mule couldn't win the race, but thought that it would definitely benefit by the association.

I am fortunate to have benefited by associating with some great Madison teachers. I am grateful for their example and confident that whatever I gave to my own students over the years was in some way a positive reflection of my teaching colleagues.