Jon the Gigantic Basketball Player

One of the students I remember best from more than thirty years of teaching is Jon. He stood more than seven feet tall and played basketball at UC Davis, but that's only part of the story. On the first day of class, I asked students to interview one another and then introduce their partners. By chance, Jon was paired with one of the shortest students in the room. When they stood side by side, the entire class smiled at the remarkable contrast. That moment stayed with me for decades. In this video, I reflect on how I learned hundreds of students' names over the course of my teaching career, why memorable images help us remember people, and what happened when I reached out to Jon on Facebook all these years later. This video is part of my 365 Stories About My Students project. During my final year before retiring from UC Davis, I'm sharing one story each day about a former student who taught me something, surprised me, inspired me, or simply remained in my memory. Together, these stories explore teaching, memory, curiosity, gratitude, and the lasting connections that can grow from a single classroom. I'd love to hear from you. What "memory hook" has helped you remember someone for years? #DiaryOfAQuizmaster #365Stories #Teaching #Education #Teachers #UCDavis #Memory #Storytelling #LifelongLearning #Curiosity #Gratitude #YouTubeCreator