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’ve been a primary teacher since 1995 and I can still remember many of the students’ names and faces from my very first class. They’ll all be 34/35 this year!

I saw my primary school teacher in a shop I left his class when I was 11/12 I'm 48 now and he remembered me.

Also my 1st year comp teacher uses my post office so I saw her outside one day and she remembered me. She remembered my mum too who she also taught who is now 70

I retired last year after 43 years of teaching. I do remember some names and faces. By coincidence I happened on an old mark book from 2007 while clearing out yesterday, and looked at the names. Hardly any rang a bell, more the ones I taught for two years running - then the names stick and I can picture them. I've quite pile of these and will be going back to my old school to put them in the confidential shredder bin.

rarely. I barley remember all the children I'm teaching the year i teach them!

I have taught in a small town for 20 years. I can't go anywhere without people greeting me with a cheery, 'Hullo, Miss!' I love it, and usually recognise them, even if their name escapes me.

I do go to a different town for some things, though. No matter how much you enjoyed teaching someone about iambic pentameter, you don't really want them giving you a bikini wax.

I worked in a school for a bit a while back as support staff and heard this voice in the staff room and immediately knew it was my English teacher from twenty years before, was astounded she knew me too and then told me she was always proud of my English Literature results and told me what they were. Made me realise I wasn’t quite the failure I though I was in my exams.

Not me. My parents were both teachers but very different subjects. My dad taught Catering and, literally for decades, every pub or restaurant we went into in the county, we would be served by one of his old students. That would rather dictate the choice we were allowed to choose on the menu!!

My mum taught a more academic subject and she kept in touch with her students for years. (She was an old-fashioned firm teacher so those who worked hard did well and knew why!). She would be overwhelmed with gifts, cards etc at the end of the year. She is now in her 80's and I know she still has many of those.

A couple of years ago, I was visiting my dad in hospital. I was 34. I heard someone say "Is that SockQueen('s maiden name)?" It was my old Biology teacher, who had retired from teaching and was volunteering in the hospital pushing the League of Friends trolley around the ward! He remembered me, my parents, knew what career I was in and which uni I'd been to etc. But then he taught me for 5/7 years at school (I took Biology through to A-level) and was my housemaster for 2 years, plus I was an academic high-flyer, so I guess maybe easier to remember than someone he taught for a year in year 9 or something.

I remember lots. usually the worst in the class, the ones you have to try harder with, often described as cheeky! Also the nice ones who try hard and the others are mean to them for it.

My tutor groups I have had 4 groups each for 5 years and I remember them all. You become very protective of your tutor group.

Funnily enough, it's those students at the start of my career I tend to remember more. I remember the ones from my nqt year vividly. think I gave less of myself once I had my own kids. Plus, sheer weight of numbers.

Having said that, hearing 'hello miss', from an adult you taught as a teenager does tend to take you right back to a memory of a class.

Yes I tend to remember the ones who were in the GCSE groups as I had them for 2-3 years, and the ones in my tutor group as I usually had them for the full 5 years of secondary. I will sometimes think 'oh I wonder what X is doing?' 'Did Z ever do mechanics/art/etc at college/uni like they wanted?' And so on. Sometimes I won't remember their names but I'll see their face clear as day. And I often wonder how the more vulnerable and 'difficult' children did beyond school routines and hope they found happiness once exams were over. I haven't been in the classroom for a while, I do miss teaching but couldn't go back to a high school now, but the kids themselves were never the problem.

My teacher from 35 years ago remembered me when I saw her

Mostly yes.

Some of mine are famous and it’s kind of strange to see this rock star on tv but I get flashbacks of the teenage (very sweet, very earnest) boy. One is an actor who is very talented and it’s no surprise - he was way ahead of his year in terms of focus - again, a lovely young man to teach.

It depends I bumped into my old geography teacher from 44 years ago he still remembered me!
I still get a Xmas card from the head of the infants school I attended 53 years ago - I’m now 58 and they are 94

I do.

My first ones are well into their 50s. The youngest 18.

I see quite a few when I’m out and about and others on facebook. One gave me my booster vaccination a bit ago.

Some, annoyingly/embarrassingly , still call me sir!

I left school over thirty years ago. I recently moved to the town where is went to school (small secondary, about 800 pupils), and am happy to report that several of my teachers are still with us and remember me. One of them taught my mum too, and recognised her in the street after fifty years!

I was doing a part time job in sales many, many years after I left high school. My old English teacher came in and I was trying to sell her a washing machine. She gave absolutely no indication that she recognised me. Her husband made a cheeky comment and she said “I’m sure doesn’t find that funny” I said “wow, I didn’t think you’d remember me” and she said of course she did, how could she forget, I was really good at….”

I stopped teaching secondary a few years ago. I remember so many of my students and often wonder what they are doing now. I was a HOY so dealt with many pastoral issues over the years and some of those students often come into my mind. I can still laugh at some of the funny things that happened too! I feel privileged to have worked with them and hope they remember me as fondly!

I'm retired now but I remember something about every child I taught for a year or more.

I have many as friends on Facebook as they sought me out. It's lovely to watch them making their way in the world and seeing their children.

Yes I remember students. Maybe not a year 7 who I taught for a few lessons a week, but most GCSE students who I taught 5 times a week for 2 years. I occasionally run into ex students as I live in the same town where I taught. Pretty sure I remember them more than they remember me

I'm not a teacher but I was considering doing a similar post recently. I wanted to make an appreciation post for that one teacher who influenced you the most.

I am dyslexic however this was not picked up until I was well into my 20's. Thanks to autocorrect it's not too much of an issue now.

I was reflecting on my life recently and appreciating how far I've come and how lucky I have been. I owe every single bit of this to one teacher in high school. My modern Languages teacher.

I really really struggled in school and was labelled a bit of a dunce. It didn't help that I grew up in one of the most impoverished areas of Glasgow with parents that didn't give a toss about education.

My teacher had a fairly rough ride with the misbehaved pupils yet somehow still managed to power through.

She sparked something inside me. No one had ever really shown an interest in helping me however she really put the effort and encouraged me. She awarded me subject price at the end of year and I don't think she could ever fully appreciate how much this ment to me.

Thanks to her, I became really passionate about different languages and was fascinated with other cultures. As a result of this, I have worked and travelled all over the world and had the most wonderful life experiences and I owe every single bit of it to her!

So thank you Frau McFadyen, you were my saving Grace.

I remember most, if not all, of one year group, because I was their HoY. Others I remember because they were motivated, unmotivated, quirky, hard work, funny, happy, sad, troubled or very able.

@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’m a teacher (secondary) and keep cards and letters from students. I have students who I’ve kept in touch with throughout the years, and have had visits at school from former students. I remember so many especially the 6th Form. I have had students been back in contact after more than 15 years and some of them I still remember. Only recently I had a man shout at me ‘Miss, Miss’ across the car park at Sainsbury’s, and ex student wanting to say hello. Of course, I remembered him. Students are the ones that make me love my job! I say to all my students when they leave to let me know how they’re doing later in life as I am genuinely interested, even more so if they continue with my subject!