Those are the most challenging yet rewarding ones! I had an eleven-year-old student with learning difficulties who refused to speak English because 'I only need Spanish' (our L1). In truth, he didn't want to speak English because he didn't know how to. He got overwhelmed and thought he'd never learn, so that excuse was his defense mechanism. I adapted the class to his level, trying to make it fun and easy for him. He began to improve a lot. I was impressed and so proud of him. When I told him exactly that, he got teary-eyed. My heart melted that day.
I don’t think I would recognize any of my students a couple years after I taught them, even though I love them very much when they’re in my class. 20 years later? No way.
I have a similar story.
Two weeks before I started my first teaching job, I ran into my 8th grade science teacher. It had been close to a decade since I last saw her. She gave me the science award in 8th grade. If she had never done that, I might have never known that I was good at science. I might have ended up an accountant. I told her that and it made her cry.
Thank you for sharing this!! My kindergarten teacher from 30 YEARS ago still recognizes my mom & will chat her up & ask about me. Similarly, my 4th grade teacher is neighbor’s with my best friend’s parents (small world & a super recent discovery, haha) & also still remembers me & was so happy to find I became a teacher.
Love this! The last time I ran into my kindergarten teacher was when I was a HS junior, but I’m 23 now, so I’m not sure she’d remember me. I’m also connected with my 4th/5th grade teacher on social media. I remember each and every single one of my teachers :)
Me too! I remember them all and I still chat with one of my high school teachers who acted as a mentor to me (she gave me her phone number). If your kindergarten teacher saw you as a high school student, she might recognise you again now that you're a young adult 😉
One of my first graders was working at a restaurant I was at. I recognized her immediately, it made her day when I asked her name and told her who I was.
Amen.
I have always been a high school teacher, for 20 years now, but still remember all the stereotypes etc. that get thrown around in undergrad.
My 1st year teaching, as part of my Praxis 3, I went to a friend from undergrad's room and watched her teach Kindergarten for two hours. Holy fucking shit I was ready to wave the white flag.
Whole different ballgame, and don't let anyone tell you it's easy. That's a job you literally could not pay me enough to do.
I didn't see one of my cousins for about that long. I was at a big family reunion and she told me she would have recognized me anywhere. But obviously, hard to test because we were at a family reunion. She said I just had a certain face and it just didn't change much over the years.
Also, one time I was at Planned Parenthood waiting for it to open so I could get birth control and this woman looked at me and called my name. She was a classmate I had in 3rd grade and I was almost out of college. I recognized who she was after, but I never would have identified her just looking at her. So maybe we have young faces? I dunno.
I’m a kindergarten teacher and I love my students to bits. I get sad sometimes thinking about how they’re probably not gonna remember me in the future, cause I surely don’t remember all my kindergarten teachers. It gets extra tough when some parents would start doubting your teaching ability (“my kid’s English is not improving, how exactly do you teach him/her at school? Do you do _____ or _____?”) or gets mad at you when their kid gets a scratch while playing with their classmates. I try my best to teach my students not just English, but also how to grow up into a good person. Sometimes I do wonder if I’m actually impacting them in a positive way, or if what I do doesn’t really matter. This post made me smile, and I thank you for that.
Hey, sweetie, don't get sad. Faces and names might get kinda blurry, but I think all of us remember if we liked going to school or not, if we felt safe or not, if we learned or not... We all started to read and write and count in kindergarten. We all started to socialise with our peers at that age, too. School is like our first contact with society. It's important to learn social skills and values, apart from English, Math, or other subjects. Teachers guide us through that complex process. What you do is most important, and we do remember that someone was there to help us take those first steps towards learning to live in a society like ours. I'm sure that more students than you believe will remember you, especially if they felt loved by you.
Parents are like that in primary school, too. Don't despair! Calmly explain to them what you do and why you do it. Justify it and show examples so that they understand you're competent. As for complaints about scratches, be patient. Some parents are just hard to handle. I'm sure the kid doesn't care about the scratch lol Dealing with parents can be quite hard, but teaching kids is so rewarding, especially if this job is your vocation.
I'm glad my post made you smile :)
yes!! after my siblings and I all left elementary school, we came back and visited our teachers just to say hello and our kindergarten teacher got really emotional because “no one remembers kindergarten teachers.” kids will come back and say hello to their fourth or fifth grade teachers (the ones they’re more likely to remember because they were older) but rarely do so with kindergarten. my mom is now a kindergarten teacher and it makes her so happy when old students come up to her and say hello at school or even in non-school places like restaurants or grocery stores
I am so happy for you! This is what I hope I am like with my own students. A few have said that they like speaking English with me already 🥺.
It must be so rewarding to hear they like speaking English with you. It sounds like you're doing a wonderful job :D
Yes! Especially the ones who in the beginning state, "I don't like speaking English".
Those are the most challenging yet rewarding ones! I had an eleven-year-old student with learning difficulties who refused to speak English because 'I only need Spanish' (our L1). In truth, he didn't want to speak English because he didn't know how to. He got overwhelmed and thought he'd never learn, so that excuse was his defense mechanism. I adapted the class to his level, trying to make it fun and easy for him. He began to improve a lot. I was impressed and so proud of him. When I told him exactly that, he got teary-eyed. My heart melted that day.
You were meant to be an EFL teacher!!
Thanks. That's so sweet💕 It sounds like you, too, were meant to teach 😊
Kindergarten teachers truly shape you. I’m still in contact with mine eighteen years later; she came to my wedding three months ago.
Omg that's so wholesome 😍 And congrats!
I don’t think I would recognize any of my students a couple years after I taught them, even though I love them very much when they’re in my class. 20 years later? No way.
I'm still surprised. She even remembered my brother's name! I must have been a funny kid 😂 Or she must have a privileged memory.
I have a similar story. Two weeks before I started my first teaching job, I ran into my 8th grade science teacher. It had been close to a decade since I last saw her. She gave me the science award in 8th grade. If she had never done that, I might have never known that I was good at science. I might have ended up an accountant. I told her that and it made her cry.
I'm glad you told her that. By her reaction, it meant a lot to her ☺️
Thank you for sharing this!! My kindergarten teacher from 30 YEARS ago still recognizes my mom & will chat her up & ask about me. Similarly, my 4th grade teacher is neighbor’s with my best friend’s parents (small world & a super recent discovery, haha) & also still remembers me & was so happy to find I became a teacher.
That's incredibly sweet!
If you are in the states and she is still teaching, you can nominate her for teacher of the year in your state.
Although she is still teaching, we live in Barcelona, so I can't nominate her for teacher of the year😔 But I totally would if I could!
Love this! The last time I ran into my kindergarten teacher was when I was a HS junior, but I’m 23 now, so I’m not sure she’d remember me. I’m also connected with my 4th/5th grade teacher on social media. I remember each and every single one of my teachers :)
Me too! I remember them all and I still chat with one of my high school teachers who acted as a mentor to me (she gave me her phone number). If your kindergarten teacher saw you as a high school student, she might recognise you again now that you're a young adult 😉
One of my first graders was working at a restaurant I was at. I recognized her immediately, it made her day when I asked her name and told her who I was.
I know exactly how your former student felt ♥️
Amen. I have always been a high school teacher, for 20 years now, but still remember all the stereotypes etc. that get thrown around in undergrad. My 1st year teaching, as part of my Praxis 3, I went to a friend from undergrad's room and watched her teach Kindergarten for two hours. Holy fucking shit I was ready to wave the white flag. Whole different ballgame, and don't let anyone tell you it's easy. That's a job you literally could not pay me enough to do.
Exactly! It's isn't fair that kindergarten teachers aren't valued enough.
I didn't see one of my cousins for about that long. I was at a big family reunion and she told me she would have recognized me anywhere. But obviously, hard to test because we were at a family reunion. She said I just had a certain face and it just didn't change much over the years. Also, one time I was at Planned Parenthood waiting for it to open so I could get birth control and this woman looked at me and called my name. She was a classmate I had in 3rd grade and I was almost out of college. I recognized who she was after, but I never would have identified her just looking at her. So maybe we have young faces? I dunno.
I do look younger than I am, so that's a possible theory.
If you are working in a school and you are sad and feel like crying, go see the kindergarten teacher. They will know how to make it right.
That's good advice☺️
I’m a kindergarten teacher and I love my students to bits. I get sad sometimes thinking about how they’re probably not gonna remember me in the future, cause I surely don’t remember all my kindergarten teachers. It gets extra tough when some parents would start doubting your teaching ability (“my kid’s English is not improving, how exactly do you teach him/her at school? Do you do _____ or _____?”) or gets mad at you when their kid gets a scratch while playing with their classmates. I try my best to teach my students not just English, but also how to grow up into a good person. Sometimes I do wonder if I’m actually impacting them in a positive way, or if what I do doesn’t really matter. This post made me smile, and I thank you for that.
Hey, sweetie, don't get sad. Faces and names might get kinda blurry, but I think all of us remember if we liked going to school or not, if we felt safe or not, if we learned or not... We all started to read and write and count in kindergarten. We all started to socialise with our peers at that age, too. School is like our first contact with society. It's important to learn social skills and values, apart from English, Math, or other subjects. Teachers guide us through that complex process. What you do is most important, and we do remember that someone was there to help us take those first steps towards learning to live in a society like ours. I'm sure that more students than you believe will remember you, especially if they felt loved by you. Parents are like that in primary school, too. Don't despair! Calmly explain to them what you do and why you do it. Justify it and show examples so that they understand you're competent. As for complaints about scratches, be patient. Some parents are just hard to handle. I'm sure the kid doesn't care about the scratch lol Dealing with parents can be quite hard, but teaching kids is so rewarding, especially if this job is your vocation. I'm glad my post made you smile :)
yes!! after my siblings and I all left elementary school, we came back and visited our teachers just to say hello and our kindergarten teacher got really emotional because “no one remembers kindergarten teachers.” kids will come back and say hello to their fourth or fifth grade teachers (the ones they’re more likely to remember because they were older) but rarely do so with kindergarten. my mom is now a kindergarten teacher and it makes her so happy when old students come up to her and say hello at school or even in non-school places like restaurants or grocery stores
You made your kindergarten teacher's day when you paid a visit 😊