[seeker33]

Do you have memories of exceptional teachers who had an impact on you?
I mean mainly positive, but it can be negative as well. Was it something big they did for you, or was their influence made by little and "unimportant" gestures or comments?

I've got both positive and negative. In primary school, my teacher saw I was being bullied but didn't do anything about it. She witnessed how my classmate kicked me in her class (PE). It used to happen 3x a week for 4 years. It's it possible she really didn't notice? This taught me I was invisible and didn't matter.
On the contrary, in years 5-9 I had an old teacher who constantly praised me and used to say how smart I was. He used to drink in the pub with my father. When father returned home, he would praise me because my teacher told him what a great student I was. That I was the best student he's had in 40 years of teaching. That's what gave me self confidence and was one of the few positive experiences in my life under 15. His praise made me study and try extra hard because I was afraid of disappointing him.

[Mountaindewed]

My mom was a big deal in the school district. Teachers were intimidated by her. So my bad behaviors and anxiety issues were swept under the rug instead of being told to her. I should have been in therapy probably in Kindergarten instead of 7th grade, and gotten an autism and anxiety diagnosis when I was 6 instead of in my late teens. It kind of frustrates me.

I did however, have a great 5th grade teacher who I really connected to. And my speech and 7th grade Spanish teacher were great as well.

In middle/high school? No. Back then, nobody gave a damn about me, teachers included. To them, I was little more than an inconvenience.


However, I had a teacher at my community college that showed me an ounce of compassion when I needed it. It was last winter, I was forced to walk to school in cold weather every day because I don't have a car. She saw me walking every day wearing only an old coat and no other winter gear. I couldn't afford a good coat at the time. She bought me some good winter gear, including some thermal shirts, a better coat, some gloves, and a hat. I can't lie, I was touched. I nearly broke down in her office in fact.

I guess not everybody is a complete asshole in the world.

[seeker33]

Wow that was a really touching experience Darkness. It's true, there are still many caring and good people in the world.

[WishfulThinker66]

Yes, I have had several teachers who stick out in my memories all these years after.

Mrs Yardley was my kindergarten teacher (c. 1971). I was terrified of her as she would use corporal punishment. She would use the strap, hit children with a yardstick and a ruler across the tops of your knuckles. She enjoyed it too taking great glee out of the process. She particularly picked on a pair of twin boys she constantly told would amount to nothing. I found out later they were foster children. Boy did she ever make life rough for them. She mocked me for my slight Scottish accent. She also ridiculed me in class once when she handed out a picture of a duck for us each to colour. I coloured mine like a mallard duck yet every other child coloured theirs yellow. She waved my picture in front of the class and everyone laughed at me. But my mom found out and marched down and gave her royal crap in front of the class and never again did the woman taunt or be ****** to me. I was only 4 and 5 years old. I remained scared of her. She terrorized us.

Mr Swanzy was my grade 10 History teacher. I loved this guy and have a fondness for history today all owing to him. He made it fun, often role playing and acting out historical events. I will always be grateful to him for making history, arts, and culture something important in my life.

[nouseforaname]

How can anyone remember that far back? I hardly remember anything from school, never liked it. Over the years people would recognize me and I looked at them, like "who are you?". One person was offended, I believe, when I didn't know who he was and he told me we were in the same class for 4 years. I had no clue.

I only remember like 2 people, one I am kinda still friends with, the other turned into a born again type person so he's out.

[seeker33]

Wishful, that teacher sounds terrible! Such a person shouldn't have been allowed to work with children!

Nouaeforaname, I don't remember people from school either. I remember what they looked like in childhood but I don't recognize them as adults which is embarrassing.

[eskielover]

I had all good teachers throughout school except for a world history teacher in junior high. Everyone knew she had several screws loose.....but I got through her class well too.

Grade school I had wonderful teachers but 3rd grade & 5th grade stood out. I was always one of the top students & was always involved in music & orchestra from 3rd grade on. Always athletic on the playground but I was never the kind of person who was a part of a group of kids. I got along with all while choosing when I wanted to participate. No idea how everyone accepted it. Part of that was because my mom didn't drive so I had no after school activities to bond better with any groups of kids.

I bonded with my 5th grade teacher & didbstay friends for several years until he died from a heart attack.

One professor in college really was outstanding. I learned more practical information from this statistics prof than from any other prof. Even at 65 I remember some if his wise business practical advice.

School was good. No outstanding experiences & no bad ones. I had learned to stand up for myself at a very young age because my parents were incapable of doing that so I learned how to make it known what was ok & not ok for myself.

In grade school there was a posture class they wanted me in & it conflicted with my orchestra. No way was that getting in the way of orchestra so I took care of that...think that was in 3rd grade.

I would care for the underdog & still get along with those who weren't. Nobody messed with me & being an only child I had no siblings to watch out for me. Maybe I was just in good schools with good kids. Considering I graduated from high school in 1970 it might have been before society has degraded into what it seems to have become.

I didn't grow up with any mental health issues of my own but I sure had parents with undiagnosed conditions because the knowledge didn't exist in those days.

[may24]

I'm still in touch with one of my teachers from high school who was more like a mother figure to me. I grew up with a depressive and codependent mother who wouldn't do anything to stop the chaos that was going on at home.
I've spent my whole life unconsciously looking for mother figures in women that were nothing like my mother; and I got very close to some teachers because of that.
In grade 11 I had this amazing teacher that taught me Ancient Greek and French.
She was passionate, independent, and full of life. I was struggling with anorexia and depression at the time (which stopped me from finishing high school), and she was always there to support me.
This was like 7 years ago and she's retired now, but we still meet for coffee sometimes and send each other letters.