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Original poster

Any teachers out there? Preferably retired...

20 replies

How2Help · 16/10/2019 00:25

I’ve just made a total tit of myself. By total coincidence I saw an old teacher of mine on facebook. I have just sent her a message about what a great teacher she was and how I still think of her (all true). Just read it back and it is totally overly gushing. I doubt she’ll even remember me. I was unremarkable and this was 30 years ago.

She’s going to think I’m a nutter isn’t she. Why didn’t I read it again before sending!!

Have you ever had former pupils contact you out of the blue and were they cringeworthy?

OP posts:
Wisheverydaywasfriday · 16/10/2019 01:44

Not retired, but would be over the moon to receive a message like that. Lovely tribute to their hardwork.

Namechangeforthiscancershit · 16/10/2019 02:06

You are not unremarkable!

It doesn't actually matter if she remembers you or not anyway. She will be very pleased to get the message anyway I'm sure.

Hidingtonothing · 16/10/2019 02:14

DM was a teacher, now retired. She loves it if she bumps into an old student, even more so if they have particularly fond memories of her. Honestly OP don't give it another thought, she'll be delighted you remember her so fondly regardless of whether she remembers you, but I bet she does, DM sometimes has to grope for a name but she always remembers the face.

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Original poster
How2Help · 16/10/2019 07:28

Thanks everyone, that makes me feel a bit better. I’ll let you know if she replies!

OP posts:
GrimalkinsCrone · 16/10/2019 07:41

My first class of children are now in their mid-forties. Not only do I like bumping into old students and getting updates, I still have many of the cards with personal messages that they made or wrote.
Most of us are in the job because we like people.

DriftingLeaves · 16/10/2019 07:52

I love getting messages from former students. Coincidentally I got a lovely one this morning. I'd sent birthday greetings on facebook and had a very moving message back.

PotteringAlong · 16/10/2019 07:55

No, she will think it’s amazing. My dad is a retired teacher and got a mention in the front of an ex-pupils PhD thesis. He sent him a copy in the post and he was thrilled.

TheFatberg · 16/10/2019 08:05

Were you popular at school? They might remember you if you were!

DriftingLeaves · 16/10/2019 11:05

I remember every child I taught. Sometimes I have to ponder a while to place them but eventually I can.

Original poster
How2Help · 16/10/2019 11:30

DriftingLeaves wouldn’t it be funny if that turned out to be me Smile. Mine was not in response to a birthday message though.

PotteringAlong PhD thesis dedication is impressive! Maybe I need to aim higher than a mere FB message Wink.

Lovely to hear people have liked hearing from old pupils.

No reply yet (don’t think it has been read though).

OP posts:
CMOTDibbler · 16/10/2019 12:28

My mum was an infant teacher for 40+ years, and when retired she'd talk very fondly of children that she taught in teacher training college when she was 18. She loved hearing how people had done, and she taught the children and in a few cases grandchildren of her pupils and revelled in that.
I'm sure your teacher loved hearing from you

ElGuardiandenoche · 16/10/2019 12:53

My DH is a retired teacher and he loves it when past pupils contact him or if we go back to the towns he taught in and they come up to him. He loves hearing how they’ve got on and what they are doing and meeting their families.

Mistressiggi · 16/10/2019 13:38

That's the kind that would make me stay in teaching.

Foxyloxy1plus1 · 16/10/2019 13:49

As a teacher, you often remember the tricky things that have happened, the poor behaviour, the difficult classes, the kids who don’t listen and so on.

I hang on to the memory of the girl who told me how much she enjoyed my lessons and the boy who said he would never forget me.

So yes, I’d love it if someone got in touch to say how much my teaching has meant to them.

margotsdevil · 16/10/2019 14:36

I got a friend request and a lovely message from a former pupil over the summer; she went on to university to study my subject and she had just graduated with a 1st. It was so nice to have her think of me - I really appreciated it.

CuriousaboutSamphire · 16/10/2019 14:42

I had one like that after 10 years... it made my day, no, my week.

Messages from students can be few and far between. It is nice when they check in! Especially when they are sat at a Tesco till and telling their supervisor how you are the only reason you have that job and that they think you are bestest teacher ever - I got him through his FS maths at his 5th, our 1st attempt Grin

caringcarer · 16/10/2019 14:45

She will not mind. Last year I was buying a 7 foot Xmas tree at a XMas tree farm and my dh and I were struggling to get it onto roof rack and tied down. A man came up to me with a lady and young baby and said Mrs Caringcarer, I was in your class 12 years ago, do you remember me? I looked but could not think of who it was. He told me his name and then laughed his head off when I could immediately recall he was always playing football when he should have been in for registration and about six other facts about him. His wife was amazed and said she could not believe I could recall so much about him. He helped my dh load Xmas tree and I got a cuddle of his baby. He told me he has his own roofing company now.

wineoclockthanks · 16/10/2019 15:26

I left school in 1983 and I have searched online (without luck) for my Social Biology A'Level teacher as I'd love to tell her how inspirational she was to me and how she inspired a live-long interest in her subject.

If you're reading this Miss C from CSFG, thank you!

TheBitchOfTheVicar · 16/10/2019 18:15

I had an ex-pupil from about 12 years ago friend me on fb and sent me a message starting 'you probably don't remember me, but...'. I did remember her. Her message made me really happy, and my response made HER really happy. You have absolutely nothing to regret, OP.

Perunatop · 16/10/2019 18:16

I would be very happy to receive such a message even if it was a bit OTT.

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