By Benjamin Palmer

“I am not a sane person,” Ms. Ramsey tells her new students. “I am insane. I am a supermodel!” She continues talking as she spins her arms and rocks her hips. “If I ever walk into the room doing this, just clap for me, people. Just clap for me.”

This is the world of Gayle Ramsey, Driver’s Ed. teacher.

Ramsey is a book-addict, a part-time plus-sized model, and even a recording artist. But in the classroom she is known by her students for her “no crap” approach to teaching.

“If you give her crap, she’ll throw it back at you,” said Taylor Williams, Div. 350.

Williams is a student in both Ramsey’s division and her Driver’s Ed. Class, as is Clarissa Frayn.

Frayn says that Ramsey “can seem like a less pleasant person when she yells at you for asking stupid questions…” but insists that “if you actually talk to [her] she’s a super sweet lady.”

Ramsey has been known to don wigs on occasion, ranging from a short blonde pixy-cut to long luscious curls.

“She wore a new blonde fun wig just for me,” said Frayn, who recalls Ramsey’s excitement about the new wig during report-card pickup.

If students are lucky, they may get to see a rare sight. Once a year, Ramsey comes into school wearing a special wig, claiming to be her own twin sister.

When not modeling a wig, Ramsey may be seen modeling the latest plus-sized fashions around Chicago suburbs. While her “supermodel” status is pending, Ramsey models at benefits from time to time.

“I’ve always liked fashion,” Ramsey said. “So one day I saw an ad for plus sized models, and I tried out and made it.”

She has even been honored for her efforts on the runway.

“I’m the reigning queen of ‘Fifty and Fabulous,’” said Ramsey.

“Fifty and Fabulous” is a modeling competition that Ramsey has won for the past few years. She says she plans to keep the crown “until they dethrone me.”

Even before her days on the catwalk, Ramsey performed in high school.

She attended Hirsch High School on the south side of Chicago where she was a cheerleader and a member of the dance team. She laughed off her attempt at running track, saying “dance was always my thing.”

She would often perform for her senior division in Friday talent shows, which led Ramsey and a couple friends to form a singing group called “The Belles.” Together they began performing outside of Hirsch.

“I loved it,” said Ramsey, “but my dad told me I had no career in music after high school.”

Of her parents, Ramsey said “they were very very… well, they were strict” implying that they too had a “no crap” policy. She said that they encouraged her education, taking her to libraries weekly and playing vocabulary games with her.

Her father insisted she go to college.

After a year of benefit gigs, and releasing a demo, Ramsey left The Belles behind to pursue her lifelong dream of being a teacher.

“Ever since I was three, I wanted to be a teacher,” Ramsey said. “Some kids went from farmer to doctor to lawyer. Not me. I was a teacher.”

In the classroom, Ramsey says she takes an approach to teaching based on mutual respect.

“Light and breezy, nice and easy,” says Ramsey of her relationship with her students. “It’s all about common sense and respect. You respect me, you get respect in return.”

But Ramsey is known for more than her “action/reaction” approach to discipline. She has a series of “Ramseyisms” that her students have come to recognize.

The most well-known Ramseyism is the title her students gain: Ramsey Rangers. Also, students associate themselves with Ramsey’s class codes, such as “RAM-7” (pronounced ram-dash-seven) for her seventh period class.

A student’s identity can sometimes be changed, as Ramsey has generic names for each gender. Each boy is “Mr. Man” and each girl is “Miss Thang” or the all-inclusive title of “happy people!”

Those who have earned the title for completing her class often own it with pride.

“Ms. Ramsey, I may be getting my license tomorrow!” said a student who approached her in the lunch room. “Ramsey Ranger for life!” he added as he bumped fists with her, and walked away.

“I was at an alumni event,” Ramsey recalled, “and I saw some of my old students who had graduated years ago. When they saw me they just said ‘RAMSEY RANGERS!’”

It is relationships like this that Ramsey enjoys building while teaching. This relationship is built, she says, by teaching more than just Driver’s Ed.

“On Fridays we discuss life lessons,” said Ramsey. “Dating, bullying, grades, service learning. Just using your lives and benefiting from that.”

Ramsey also discusses hygiene with her students.

“She always talked about how she hated bad hygiene,” said Dominique Dior, a Ramsey Ranger of Div. 162. “She had a drawer full of gum, lotion, soap, hand sanitizer, tissues, etc.”

Another way she interacts with her students is by passing out coupons.

“At least once a week, she hands out random coupons to us in division, yelling ‘We’re in a recession peoples! Come get your coupons!’” said Frayn.

Frayn said that despite her antics, Ramsey maintains the importance of being a good and happy person.

Ramsey says “everybody wants peace, love, and respect.”

Beyond the classroom, Ramsey says that she hopes her students take more away with them than driving techniques.

“Driving isn’t about just driving a car. It’s about attitude,” she said.

She says that Driver’s Ed. is “one of the most important classes of Sophomore year…you keep this with you forever.”

Ramsey added that “your permit isn’t the end of the road. No pun intended.”

Regardless of whether a student is named “Miss Thang” or “Mr. Man” they’re all assured by Ms. Gayle Ramsey (or her twin sister) to be “happy people” and “Ramsey Rangers” for life!