What is the greatest (or worst) thing a teacher has done for (or to) you that has made a difference to you?

Question

I am a teacher who LOVES what I do... I'm just wanting some inspiration or thoughts about what your teachers have done to impact your life and the consequences (good or bad) of their actions. It would be interesting if you would also tell when (i.e. what grade / elementary / middle / high/ college... etc.)

In H.S. had one teacher who really helped me in a personal way, asked how to repay her once, she said Just touch one life and consider me paid... I've defined my life by it.

Also, had another teacher "mentor" ask the day after graduation if he could say something to me now that I was "a woman" - thinking great words of advice, I said, sure. He said "Baby you can sit on my face anytime." I still am devastated that he said that and learned that even idols are just human scum sometimes.

What's your story?

Answer 1

Well when I first came to the USA for college I had my English 101 class and was assigned a term paper. I decided to write a paper on US foreign policy in Latin America and the Caribbean in the 20th Century and proceeded to research at the on-campus library.

When I submitted my first draft, which was not an opinion piece but a summary of the facts, my white jewish teacher threw it back at me in front of the class and said that if I hated America so much then why was I here. She then told me that I had to make it more favourable to America of she would fail me - that experience taught me to never compromise the truth even when people don't want to hear it and that has defined part of my life.

I have one more - in Prep school in Jamaica, 6th grade, we have an exam to take to get into high school and my own grand-aunt was my teacher. Usually you take the exam at the age of 10 but I am born in January I was a year younger than everyone except 2 people in the class and so she and the school REFUSED to send me to take the exam despite my good grades.

My parents decided to send me as a private candidate. I took the exam, scored a 97% and qualified for a government scholarship, only to be told that because I was a private candidate I could not be awarded the scholarship - which all happened because I was too young. That is when I realized that my age could either hold me back or help me forward but it was up to me, not others.

I graduated high school at 15 (usually we graduate at 16 then do 2 years before university - english system), started college at 15, finished at 19 with a 3.9 gpa, took a year off, started my MBA with a scholarship at 20, started a company with my brother at 20 (he was 19 and in the MBA program as well) and graduated 2 years later. I am now 26 and I have devoted my life to talking to other young peope and convincing them that they can succeed despite what others tell them (running workshops at conferences, mentoring, newpaper features, tv interviews) - look out for my blog (and book one day).

I think the wrongs actually make you even more determined than what the teachers do right.

Answer 2

Well, when I was in 10th grade, our biology teacher said he had a way for people to get extra credit if they wanted it. He had a hand crank generator with a light bulb and two contact points. Three of us volunteered (I needed it real bad). I was third in line.

We went up to the head of the class, and he told the first kid to put his two fingers on his hand on the metal points. He then cranked the generator a half turn and the kid shrieked bloody murder! The second kid chickened out. So it was my turn. I put my hand on the contact points, and he cranked it again. MY GOD, that HURT! It was so bad, I can still remember that awful lightening pain going up my arm into my jaw.