This week’s Teacher Feature is dedicated to one of our remarkable 8th Grade teachers, Mr. John Glanzer! Mr. Glanzer has shared his love of teaching in Lutheran schools with his darling wife, college sweetheart and our favorite school librarian, Anita Glanzer, over the past 31 years. When he is not teaching, Mr. Glanzer enjoys spending quality time outside with Anita gardening and hiking. He also enjoys the creative outlet that he creates through art and music.
Mr. Glanzer moved from the mountains in the West to Florida back in 2009 when he heard his calling to be a teacher at our school. While stating that the initial transition was challenging, he has loved the friendships that he has grown over the last 14 years and has adored every moment teaching all of our 8th graders who grace his class. When asked to share more of his experiences teaching here at St. Luke’s, Mr. Glanzer had nothing but declarations of love for his career and his students.
Mr. Glanzer credits his love of teaching to the blessing of learning more about each student in his class, challenging their love of learning as well as preparing them for high school and beyond. He especially loves teaching US History and religion. He enjoys the opportunity to help students see the world and its history through the lens as a Christian. He also treasures the amazing discussions that he shares about God, faith, the Christian walk, politics, history, and current events with his 8th graders. These shared experiences provide memorable moments that he cherishes every day.
In addition to the experiences with his students, he also cherishes the entire middle school staff’s commitment to providing a quality Christian education for all our students. When asked what his favorite Bible verse is, he shared that Romans 5:8 has been his favorite verse since he was in 8th grade. He appreciates that the entire chapter delves into our depravity without God and how He rescued us from ourselves. “What an image of grace,” claims Mr. Glanzer. What an image of Grace, indeed.