Who else would I share this with?
I returned from Disney World and flew into Pittsburgh to join my wife and attend a 50th anniversary of the school where we both taught, met and were married. Ruth and I were like celebrities and dozens of our former 7th grade students attended knowing we would be there. These thirty somethings had so many stories and good memories of the things we had done for them. They remembered me pulling the shades, lighting candles and reading to them from Edgar Allan Poe. They told me how they had aced biology in high school because I had done so many dissections with them and made them memorize all the key terms. They told me how easy it seemed to understand Algebra and Geometry because I had made them show every step and prove every argument in an equation. And they had fun doing it.
As a teacher, I always went beyond the boundaries of book and plan. One of my students recalled when I played Gershwin's complete opera "Porgy and Bess" as part of a literature class. He told me that he went home one day and upon seeing his parents and his dad's boss having a drink, said they looked like liquor guzzling sluts. When his mom reprimanded him, he said it was from the opera that "Mr.G" played for us and all was forgiven. The parents never questioned me and this was the first I had ever heard of this funny incident. I shudder to think what would happen in today's educational climate.
A very funny story was when my wife was talking to some of the girls, well women now. She came over to me laughing and said they were disappointed that I had changed clothes. I had worn dress slacks and a dressy tee for the open house, but changed into a suit for the dinner dance. They told her that they were admiring my build and that I had a cute butt. Not bad for an old guy, hey.
Thats awesome! Way to go with the ladies, I think you might need to add "chicks dig me" to your sig as well.
I remember a few of my teachers really well. I think its crucial to a kid to have a couple of those teachers who really go above and beyond. I have always loved science since 6th grade biology and the fun stuff we used to do.
that's so cool! i bet it was weird seeing the "kids" grown up. i have a hard time looking at friends i haven't seen in 10 years- in my head they're still 11 or 12.
I'm with K, never knew about the teacher part, or the 'Burgh in you Mahler. How cool having former students have all those great memories, and take that much with them from their experiences with you. Awesome stuff!
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that's so cool! i bet it was weird seeing the "kids" grown up. i have a hard time looking at friends i haven't seen in 10 years- in my head they're still 11 or 12.
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JAVAJUNKIE..
A year ago.. I saw a girl.. about 12, who looked like my way-back-then best friend.. and I started to think "hé Heather!" LOL !!!
ok only for a fraction of a second.. but I thought it was her! That's a 40 year time-warp! *laughing at myself*
Nice one, John. I know your reasons were sound, but it's such a shame you gave up teaching. You obviously made a big difference in the lives of those kids and, frankly, we need more teachers like you out there. Having said that, you have continued on to a certain degree by being OUR teacher here and bringing that same ability to motivate to us that you brought to those youngsters many years ago. Once a teacher .... [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]
Okay, a little brag time
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