Can your children remember their primary teachers?

[Roisin]

My boys are 15 and 17 and we were just chatting about primary school.

They can both remember their teachers from yr1-yr3 and yr6, but not the ones from middle juniors. This intrigued me and I wonder if it's a common pattern of memory, or whether it says more about individual teachers, their personality and impact.

My two are 15 and 12 and can remember every teacher from YR to Year 7 in Middle school. I think it may be the teachers as their reviews have no middle ground IYKWIM.

I have a few memories of infant school but not the teachers themselves. I have infant children and of course taking them on trips and activities and holidays...but do wonder if they'll remember any of it!

My 15 year old can remember the all teachers from Y2 to Y6. She remembers the TA from reception but not the teacher.
However both the reception and Y1 teachers left the school (moved to jobs in other schools) while she was still in KS1, so perhaps the memory is enhanced when the teachers stay at the same school.

Mine are 18, 15, and 13. 15 and 13 yr old can name all their teachers, but, not 18 yr old. We did move schools though, and he never saw his infant teachers after he left, so that might have an effect. Disappointingly (considering how much hard work some of them were ) they don't remember a lot of trips and nice places we took them. They don't remember our previous house, etc.,etc.

My parents died 11 and 12 yrs ago, and they don't really remember them - just odd bits, which, in truth we've probably 'created' from photos, videos, and talking.

I think it's more a case of when they get further away from something (in length of time) there's just more stuff to fit in your memory, and something has to be particularly startling / significant, (if there's not a regular reminder, like younger sibling being in the class) to be retained.

I'm 50 and I can remember all my Primary School teachers

DC 13 and 15 can remember all theirs too!

I was going to say - I am 48 and can remember all of mine...

I can remember all my primary school teachers, their names, and things about them all. I very clearly remember the headteacher in my first primary school and many of the things he taught because he was one of those amazing teachers. DS is not at school yet.

I wondered if there was a reason you asked if our children can remember their teachers, rather than us themselves remember our teachers. And are your patterns of what you remember about teacher similar to your kids?

Backforgood - I think that about all the days out and trips we do! I ought to start a scrapbook or something or finall y organise photos...

I can remember most of my primary teachers, but not all. For some of them I can remember their faces, but not their names.

When I think about it, they were at a through primary from 3-11. The teachers they remember were there for all or almost all of their time at the school. But the ones they don 't recall so well were not there for the full time, so that's probably the explanation.

Well, mine have only just started school, so not yet

I remember the odd one from primary. My biggest disappointment was my reception teacher, she was really lovely, I was a proper teachers pet and she always made me feel like I was really special. I moved away at the end of infants and then came back to the junior school when I was in year 5. I went to see her when I was in year 6 and she hadn't got a clue who I was

Infants: Mrs F (rumor had it that she had put her head into a hot oven, and that was why it appeared so...weathered)

Early Primary: Miss A (some boys would try to look up her skirt when she bent over), Miss T (I loved her), Mr A (strange Italian man, not sure he had any Ed qualifications)

HT: Mr D (lovely man, popular with pupils and parents)
Deputy H: Mr B (V. strict, with a bright red face and a little black book, get your name in the book 3 times and you got the slipper)

I left that primary school in 1969.

How can you not remember your Primary Teachers?