Ron Harter: comic, sage, teacher

“Show up to class prepared every day, ready to go...and a $20 bill, don’t forget that,” said ninth grade English teacher, Ronald Harter, when it comes to students getting on his good side. We assume the last part is in jest. : )

Harter’s teaching path is busy with experience, and he is not a new face here at the Castle. He started teaching in the year of 1977, but from 2009 to 2013, he was in retirement for four years.

“I missed it. People don’t believe that you do, but I did; I missed it,” said Harter about why he came back.

Harter has not always taught ninth grade English; he also has experience in 11th and 12th grade English. Even though English is his main area of expertise, the topic of history is a definite point of interest for him.

“I love history because history is us. It’s like that TV show, ‘The Story of Us;’ it’s history. If you don’t pay attention to history, you will repeat the bad things. You need to learn from history. I love history,” Harter said.

So for what would Harter want to go down in history?

“My smile, my laugh, good stories...I always wanted to be a leader, and teaching helped me do that,” said Harter.

Teaching gives access for adults to learn from the students who walk into their classrooms, and the students around them. In this case, these experiences have altered an outlook that Harter has on life.

“I realize that there’s a big divide between those who have and those that don’t have, and those that have often don’t appreciate what they’ve got, and those that don’t have are working so hard to get it or get even with the other people who have things,” Harter said. “It’s all about the journey but their journey is hard and long and you don’t get time just to smell the roses or enjoy a sunset or a sunrise.”

Known for his words of wisdom around the Castle, Harter’s advice to students would be; “Work hard but take time to rest. Take time to smell the roses. You only live one time.”