How do you spell 'gratitude'? Correctly, if you had no-nonsense teachers like mine. By Dick Schwartz Text size Copy shortlink: "Good teachers will find a way to … make things more interesting for their students. It requires a little more work, a little more imagination, and maybe even a little acting ability. The best teachers make learning interesting, exciting and important. The teachers who do that well deserve our support and most of all our gratitude." Alfred Thompson, educator Mr. West's determination to make good spellers out of us was legendary. He'd tell us: "Good and poor spelling sends a message."