As as a teacher do you remember former students?

[chocolatebiscuitdipper]

If you are a secondary school teacher, how often do you remember former pupils? My DD left secondary school four years ago and she was telling me she wonders if staff particularly those who taught her before sixth form would remember her, it's six years since she did her GCSE's.

I occasionally do, sometimes a random thought will pop into my head about work and if linked to a student, past or present, I think of them. I have some fond memories of lovely students and sometimes wonder if life is treating them well.

Yes! I remember loads. However, I sometimes meet them when out of school, know their face but not their name. I still remember the names of most of my first GCSE group from 20 yrs ago.

I'm not secondary but I still remember quite a few of my pupils from my first and second year in teaching, and that was well over a decade ago.

Not all of them, but yes.

I bumped into an elderly lady on the street just before Chirstmas and she stopped for a chat clearly knowning my name and quite a bit about me and where I went to university. I finally twigged she was my A level history tutor - I'm 46 so its been some years since she saw me. I was impressed and rather embarrassed it took me a while to remember.

I'm also friends with one or two of my secondary school teachers on facebook. One was our class tutor for 4 years and she was a very young teacher so we had a friendly relationship with her. The other had 2 boys about my age so I knew her quite well out of school.

It's an interesting question

I’ve taught since 1993. I can still remember all the register of my first tutor group and think about them quite often. They’ll be almost 40

I forget a lot 😳 it isn’t personal so much as a weight of numbers thing.

Some I remember very clearly, many more I remember the face but not the name.

For years ago was nothing for your daughter but she needs to remember that schools move on pretty fast

Yes, I would definitely remember a student I taught four years ago. Would love to hear how they are getting one. I remember some from twenty years ago but not probably all.

A colleague ran into an ex student of mine recently. He asked after me. I still have the gift he gave me when he left.
Not that we have favourites
he was one of mine

It always depends on whether or not they did something memorable, either before or after school. I recall a few who went on to be footballers at different levels, one who is serving a life sentence for murder and one who greeted me when she was checking out my groceries at a supermarket, 'I were a right cow weren't I, I'll bleeding kill mine if they turn out like me!'. It's a mixture of the good, the bad and the ugly who are remembered!

My childminder from 30 years ago still remembers me and asks after me when she bumps into my mum.

I was an Early Years teacher and, before I retired, was teaching the children of former pupils sometimes I called them by their parent's name if they looked alike. I sometimes bump into an unrecognisable bearded man who wants to give me a hug because I was his teacher when he was 5. I might not recognise them but I remember names. Occasionally I see names I recognise in the Court reports section of the local paper and it's usually no surprise.

@Amy89

I’ve taught since 1993. I can still remember all the register of my first tutor group and think about them quite often. They’ll be almost 40

I worked out recently that my 5th class, (Year 11 in today's money) will be in their mid 60s now!

All the time - in particular A Level and GCSE girls that I get to know really well . I often think of them and wish them well wherever they are now!

Most of them actually. But I often have to be reminded of their name

I often think of some past students

I remember many. Some become memorable for sad reasons. One of my former pupils was stabbed to death on an overpass a few years ago. It was in all the papers in Ireland.

I taught English in a massive comprehensive and remember those students really well and love hearing what they’ve got up to after the end of school.

For a while in the same school I also taught classes where I only saw each group of students once a week or fortnight rather than the four times a week I saw each English class. It was hard enough to remember all their names when I wrote reports at the time so I know I wouldn’t remember all of them now!

I'm Primary, not secondary, but have to say no, certainly not as a whole.
There are some exceptions, and, when I get some old photos out, I can recall lots about lots of the faces. I have to say when people approach me in the high street, it is true that I don't remember most of them, and the ones I do remember are often the ones who were a real pain so it is positive not to be remembered....

Occasionally I see names I recognise in the Court reports section of the local paper and it's usually no surprise

Yes to this ^
Or sadly, last year a lad that had been drink driving/ racing his friend and dies when he hit a bus stop

Every now and then individual people pop into my head for some reason, and we do reminisce a bit when meeting up with old colleagues.

Some I remember but most I don’t.

I teach primary and yes, I remember many, many of my children.

I’m a special school teacher so it’s different as class sizes are small and often children are with me for more than one year but I definitely remember all of the children I have taught and I think I probably always will.

Most of them. I have several small gifts, notes and cards I keep from pupils. I have bumped into grown-up pupils who have stopped me and said thank you, which is lovely. I've also had pupils contact the school after they've left to get in touch again. The students are 100% the best part of teaching.

I invited my best, most favourite A level class to my wedding 15 years ago. They are the ones I wish I knew how they were.

Over the years a few from my early days have introduced themselves to me and I usually recognise them.
But, just because it’s a lot of people now over 20 years - I don’t remember them all.

Occasionally I see names I recognise in the Court reports section of the local paper and it's usually no surprise

The ones that pop up in the papers you always remember and not for the right reasons!

I tend to remember faces if I see them, but names if discussing with other teachers.

I remember the students who tried the hardest the most.