Mavericks
When I look back upon my teachers and lecturers what emerges is that – fairly or unfairly – the ones I remember the most were mavericks – but none as much as former teacher – Ivor Cutler: (video not embedding as hoped - see it on YouTube here).
In addition to teaching at Summerhill, Cutler apparently spent 30 years teaching in inner-city schools in London.
p.s. if you are a maverick is there a noun for the quality you display? Maverickism? Maverickness? Maverickity? Maverickery?
p.p.s. Is there a name for words of such specific origin that they resist ready transformation?