Teachers and/or professors can have a profound impact on your life. If you’ve ever had an amazing teacher, you know what we’re talking about.
Sometimes these teachers or professors come into your life unexpectedly… perhaps you didn’t even know you had an interest in that subject until you were partnered with the right teacher.
Did you ever have a teacher who significantly changed your life? If so, can you tell us about them in the comments below? What was so special about them and what subject did they teach? We’re curious!
Guess I was lucky to have three: 5th grade, 8th grade, and a college professor.
The teacher that changed my life is my wife who was a teacher.
I had failed algebra from freshman year of HS. Mathematics was always a strong subject, numbers never stumped me, but adding Apples+Bananas=Carrots always got me. When I got an apprenticeship at GM in 1971 one of the required courses of night schooling was algebra, the college professor teaching the course talked to me during a break and told me I was getting the perfect answers but I wasn’t getting the formula. Then he told me algebra wasn’t a form of math but a language of math. I passed the course, during my next 32 years as a skilled tradesman I never once used algebra. I did use geometry many times calculating measurements and angles, but that wasn’t a required course. So in my opinion algebra is something scholastic’s dream up that you’ll never use in real life but you need it to continue your education. Can anybody confirm or deny their use of algebra in real life?
I used algebra a lot at work being a nurse, almost every day. I took geometry and that didn’t make much sense to me until I started quilting! Go Fiqure!
All the time.
When he said it is the “language” he was absolutely correct. You first think of a problem as a question in your spoken language. Words = certain functions in a mathematical equation. In simple terms, it is then a matter of developing the equation using the word to function relationship to get the mathematical answer to the question.
In business I used this in conjunction with statistical analysis to understand probabilities of various proposed actions resulting in the desired outcomes.
Never Used it though like yourself it was HS requirement and university requirement yet never used. My grown adult children have asked that question of why. I still like Pi as long as it’s eatiable.
I was aspiring to be a high school drop-out when I met our new tech school teacher, Sergeant Gene O’connoll. By the time I graduated I had gone from being a juvenile delinquent to a responsible adult with a promising career.
I had to say no, probably because I didn’t pay much attention to uninteresting subjects. In grammar school I always got check marks for “inattentive or indifferent” and “keeps profitability busy”. But I’m successfully retired now so it all worked out.
I remember some teachers, others are lost in the dust of history.
I had three such teachers in high school, a very long time ago. I learned from all of them that just because you have to be very serious about something doesn’t mean you cant have a little fun at the same time. A smile and a touch of nonsense goes a long way in any relationship.
I had two who changed my life. Jerry Neely in high school. Jerry now lives in Auburndale, Fl. In college J. Robert Hill who lived in Elizabethtown, Ky. now deceased . Both were excellent teachers. Actually I worked with another teacher who had a great influence on me also . That being Preston Bailey of Elizabethtown, Ky.
I had a couple of teachers/instructors in my first year of college who helped me believe i deserved to be there vs some of my high school teachers who seemed to not care.
Having been ‘educated’ in California public schools I’d say that I had 2 teachers who were competent. Fortunately, I was a good learner and could teach myself.
Yes. My senior physics exam was oral and it brought to light that after twelve years of school that I had facts and information but didn’t really know how to think. That formed my teaching philosophy….learn to think; to use the information to solve problem. I mostly taught science but also applied the idea to English teaching.
MD whom I was working with on a rotation for PA program. Down to earth mentor with a phrase that has carried me through my career. Medicine is 85 % relationships and 15% medical knowledge. You can’t fake the 85 % but you can always ask someone else for some medical knowledge that you might be lacking in that situation.
I had a teacher that, with a negative act, changed the whole direction of my life. When I was in Elementary school, I joined the school band. My instrument of choice was the flute. I ended up being decent at it and kept with band until 10th grade. Then we got a new music teacher and she told me that boys were not allowed to play the flute, it was reserved for girls. Being young and not knowing better, I took her at her word. So I dropped out of band and found the school had a radio station. So I joined that. It guided the rest of my life. I ended up in the Navy as a Radioman, where I learned electronics and computers. Unfortunately, I didn’t tell my parents about why I dropped band at the time. It wasn’t until years later that I realized how terrible it was for her to say that to me. It ended up with a positive outcome. I’m very happy with the life I ended up with.
I had such a teacher that treated me badly and it ended up that it made me do more to succeed which I did very well, ended up valedictorian of my class after changing schools..and on to completing university. Years later my former classmates got together with the main purpose was to get rid of this teacher..they ran for school board with the one thing to get this bad apple out of our school district..she had 2 years before retirement…they did not renew her contract and she ended up having to drive a 60 mile round trip daily before she retired. She was the cause of several kids dropping out of school. Teachers can make or break a child, to be blessed with a caring one can be life changing.
Physics teacher was encouraging; Latin teacher awarded the top prize to a rich guy who openly cheated on tests.
I’d be curious how that cheating “rich guy” is faring these days. Have a great day, Pamela. 😀 –Diane
Most teachers are pretty good at passing on “book knowledge,” but it is the rare teacher, at any level, that can convert that into “life knowledge.”
Had a University business professor that, as an assignment, showed a business chart that defied logic but he said it was possible. The assignment was to figure out how the numbers on the chart could be true. A legally blind student I assisted and I reviewed the information and concluded the chart was severely flawed and could not be fact, regardless of what the professor said. And that was the lesson he intended…in business never just trust information presented to you by anyone. Think, question, critique everything! While not “life changing” it is something I held onto my entire career.
I loved our high school math teacher. He was so interesting. I took 3 years of math, l enjoyed math so much I thought about being a teacher but nursing was my first love. He even hosted a party for our senior class. Drove students home if they neeeed a ride.
in all liklihood each and every one of them had an influence but none stand out in my memory. thanks to them all?
My 2nd grade teacher Mrs. Coughlin in Morningside MD. She instituted a ‘reading club’ wherein we got stars for every book we read. I read a lot anyway, but really wanted those stars! She was full of praise for every child participating. I have loved reading for these more recent 68 additional years — including RVTravel!
My physics teacher was the best and really challenged me. He inspired me to become an Electrical Engineer, something he said he wished he would have done when he was younger, he later did become an engineer after many years of night and summer courses.
I was a lazy student. Then I got a teacher who told me that I put more effort into avoiding study than the effort it would take to just do the study. She convinced me that it was not a question of my ability, only of my work ethic. After realizing she was right, in my studies up through my MBA and on to my career, my work ethic was totally changed. Now retired, I still look back on this as the pivotal point in my personal growth.
I am an Emergency Medical Educator. My style of teaching was influenced by my original Paramedic educator, Dr. John Shea, a neurosurgeon. His use of pertinent experiences, subject knowledge, and student participation influences my approach to teaching Emergency Medical subjects.
My old school farmer Uncle was the best teacher of all teachers in my life. He didn’t teach me to memorize a thing – he taught me to think.
I was blessed to have Mrs. Potts as my English teacher my last two years of high school. However, I was doubly blessed to have her as a friend for the next 40 years, until her death. We only saw each other once a year, usually for 3 or 4 hours, but each visit was essentially a continuation of the previous one. She was a special lady who taught me far more than English.
No teacher but a Guidance Counselor that did influence my career path. I ended up joining the Air Force getting my education there and retiring after 30 years then 33 years state service. Best advice I have gotten.
I had 2 different math teachers that changed my thoughts and way of counting. I, after having both of them in different grades (one in junior high, and the other in high school), learned to zip through numbers only using a five digit system as opposed to a ten digit system. My main draw back was I never attended college for further education.